How Sleeping Well Can Help You Lose Weight
We always feel better after getting a good night’s sleep. But, did you know that sleep quality can increase your chances of slimming down?
There have been many studies into the relationship between sleep and weight loss, with most suggesting that the former is a significant contributor to the latter. So, how can sleep help you shed the pounds?
Sleep and weight gain
Using the best mattress for your sleeping position and avoiding caffeinated drinks are both effective ways to ensure you get the rest you need to tackle the day. A good night’s sleep also means you have better control over cravings and more enthusiasm to exercise. While this may seem like a logical answer, there’s more to it.
According to the Medical News Today, a third of adults in the US are both overweight and claim to feel unrested when they wake up in the morning. Further research within the study concluded that people who had regular sleeping patterns lost more weight than those who said they suffered irregular rest.
But why exactly does good sleep appear to lead to optimal weight?
Calorie choice
According to a study by the University of Chicago, people who lacked sleep opted for snacks with double the fat content than those who were well-rested. Another study carried out by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found that people who did not get enough sleep were more likely to choose food high in carbohydrates. And similarly, more research into the issue has found out that sleep-deprived people tend to eat larger portions than those who get decent shut-eye.
Getting enough sleep will help you to make healthier diet choices during the day to keep your waistline in check.
Energy
The point above leads us to energy deliverance. If we aren’t getting the energy we need from a rested mind and body, we clearly need to get it from somewhere else.
Having an energized body and mind can help us to handle everyday challenges. However, if we’ve had a poor night’s sleep, it is common for us to choose high sugar, high fat, and high carb food and drink. Although it might give us a quick energy boost, it’ll also cause our daily calorie intake to soar, leading to weight gain.
Get the rest you need during the night to make sure your body has the natural energy it needs and decrease your reliance on processed, calorie-laden food and drink.
Cravings
The National Sleep Foundation recommends we get at least seven hours of sleep a night. And if we don’t achieve this, we might be negatively affecting two important hunger hormones—leptin and ghrelin.
Leptin is emitted from fat cells and suppresses hunger by sending the ‘full’ feeling to our brains as we eat. Similarly, ghrelin controls how hungry we feel, rising before we eat and dropping after.
Not getting enough sleep can trigger the body to produce more ghrelin and less leptin, which causes your appetite to rise. In fact, a 1,000-person study noted that lack of sleep caused participants to show a 14.9% boost in ghrelin levels and a 15.5% reduction in leptin levels compared to adequate sleepers.
By sleeping properly, you can prevent these hormones from spiking or plummeting, which causes you to eat unnecessarily.
To keep your weight at a healthy level, start by noting the quality of sleep you get each night. then, challenge yourself by creating a set bedtime and wakeup time.
