Need to Lose Weight? Get Some Sleep!

Lack of sleep can not only make weight loss difficult, it can actually lead to weight gain. It is therefore important to consider your sleep patterns if you are dealing with weight issues. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body is unable to metabolize glucose properly which increases appetite and decreases metabolism. If you want to lose weight you need to make sure you are getting enough sleep. This will not only help you lose weight, it will also improve your overall health and energy levels. Research has shown that by ensuring you have eight hours of quality sleep every night you may be able to reduce your caloric intake by around ten percent.

A University of Chicago study in 2004 found that “partial sleep deprivation alters the circulating levels of the hormones that regulate hunger, causing an increase in appetite and a preference for calorie-dense, high-carbohydrate foods.” Mood is affected and hormonal stress levels increase.

If you don’t get enough sleep every night, your can find yourself with an increased appetite and craving carbohydrates. In fact, if you do not get enough REM (rapid eye movement) or deep sleep, your cravings for carbohydrates can significantly increase. This can create a vicious cycle causing unhealthy weight gain not only because of additional calories but by influencing the storing and processing of carbohydrates in your body.

According to a 1999 study of sleep deprivation conducted by the Van Cauter laboratory, lack of sleep can trigger metabolic and hormonal changes which mimic many aspects of the aging process. Our levels of leptin and ghrelin influence many physiological processes and affect our health. Leptin affects mood as well as a sense of fullness after eating whereas ghrelin is an appetite stimulant.

The fast paced, distracting modern lifestyle can easily influence us to cut back on sleep time. However, it is important to create a regular schedule for sleeping and stick to eight hours of sleep every night to keep healthy, think clearly, be alert and feel rested. The amount of evidence available that emphasizes the importance of adequate sleep for weight maintenance and overall health is very convincing. For example, muscle growth and repair requires at least eight hours of sleep a night.

If you are not getting enough sleep, you may not even know it. According to researchers, the REM cycle is important for consolidating memories and for proper brain function. If you wake up a lot during the night and miss a lot of deep sleep, you may be affected even though your overall number of hours asleep is adequate.

So here are some ways to help you get a good night’s sleep and make weight loss easier:

•           Do not sleep with a television, computer or other electrical appliances in your bedroom. These are not only distracting, the electrical signals can disrupt your body’s ability to relax.

•           Add avocados to your diet and drink a glass of skim milk before bed. They contain tryptophan which relaxes the body and helps you sleep.

•           Get into a good night-time routine. Humans do best with a routine and your body will respond to a regular bed-time. If you go to bed at the same time each night, it will be easier for your body to get into a routine of falling asleep.

•           Exercise or work physically hard every day. Physical exercise helps to release stress hormones from the body and helps you get a good night sleep. However, do not do any exercise for at least two hours before you go to sleep.

•           Don’t get stressed if it takes a little while to fall asleep as this just makes it harder. Be patient and give yourself ten to fifteen minutes to relax and fall asleep. Stress can cause sleeplessness as well as directly contributing to overeating.

•           Don’t oversleep to make up for missing sleep as this can make it difficult for your body to get into a regular rhythm of falling asleep. You also can’t make up for missed sleep.

If you want to lose weight, one of the easiest things you can do is make sure you are getting a good eight hours of sleep every night. Get into a regular routine of going to bed the same time every night, avoid stress and busyness before bed-time and keep your bedroom as calm as possible. If you do these things you will not only find yourself sleeping better, you will also find it a lot easier to lose weight.

Chris McCombs is a personal trainer marketing expert and runs Orange County Boot Camps in Southern California.