Can better sleep help you lose weight? Sleep is a game changer for our overall health and well-being, and it can also be helpful in achieving our weight loss goals.
In this post, we’ll explore whether can better sleep help you lose weight, the benefits of a good night’s rest, and some tips for getting better sleep.
So, if you want to improve your weight loss efforts, read on!
Table of Contents:
- How Sleep Can Affect Weight Loss
- Lack of Sleep as a Cause of Weight Gain
- Tips for Better Sleep
- FAQs in Relation to Can Better Sleep Help You Lose Weight?
- How much sleep can help you lose weight?
- How should we sleep to lose weight?
- Conclusion
How Sleep Can Affect Weight Loss
It’s a common scenario:
You’re trying to lose weight, so you cut back on calorie intake and hit the gym hard. But despite your best efforts, the scale won’t budge.
What gives?
One possibility is that you’re not getting enough sleep. It may sound too good to be true, but getting more shut-eye could help you drop pounds.
In fact, one study showed that people who slept less than six hours per night were more likely to be overweight than those who slept seven to eight hours per night.
How can sleep affect weight loss?
There are a few ways that sleep (or sleep disorders) can impact weight loss. First, when you’re sleep-deprived, you have less energy and are more likely to reach for unhealthy, high-calorie junk foods.
You’re also more likely to eat larger portions. Second, sleep disorders can disrupt the hunger hormones leading to increased appetite.
Finally, not getting enough sleep can impact your metabolism, making it harder to lose weight. So, if you’re trying to lose weight, make sure you’re getting enough sleep.
Seven to eight hours per night is a good goal.
And if you have trouble sleeping, there are a few things you can do to improve your sleep quality, such as:
- Establishing a regular sleep schedule
- Creating a relaxing bedtime routine.
- Limiting caffeine and alcohol.
- Avoiding screen time before bed.
- Exercising regularly.
- Managing stress.
Getting enough sleep is important for overall health and can also help you lose weight.
Lack of Sleep as a Cause of Weight Gain
It’s 3 a.m
And you’re wide awake. Again.
You’ve been tossing and turning for hours and starting to feel desperate. You know you need to get some sleep, but you just can’t seem to drift off.
As it turns out, you’re not alone. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder.
And if you’re one of them, there’s a good chance that your sleep deprivation is affecting your weight. That’s right—if you’re not getting enough shut-eye, you may be sabotaging your weight loss efforts.
Here’s how:
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol increases your appetite and makes you crave high-fat, high-sugar foods.
Additionally, sleep deprivation messes with your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, which can lead to cravings for sugary junk foods to give you a quick energy boost.
Not getting enough sleep also decreases leptin levels, a hormone that signals to your brain that you’re full, and increases levels of ghrelin, a hormone that signals to your brain that you’re hungry.
In other words, when you’re sleep-deprived, you’re more likely to eat more than you need to. And if that wasn’t enough, lack of sleep also lowers your levels of physical activity.
That’s because you have less energy to work out when you’re tired. So, if you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re more likely to be eating more than you should and working out less than you need to, which can lead to weight gain.
Tips for Better Sleep
We’ve repeatedly been told that we need to get eight hours per night, but we often fall short.
Getting enough sleep is even more important if you’re trying to lose weight. There are a few reasons why sleep extension is so important when you’re trying to lose weight.
First, you’re more likely to make poor food choices when you’re tired. You’re also less likely to exercise when you’re tired.
And finally, sleep deprivation can lead to increased hormone ghrelin levels, which tells your body to eat more.
So how can you make sure you’re getting enough sleep?
Here are a few tips:
1. Establish a Regular Sleep Schedule.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends.
2. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine.
This might include reading, taking a bath, or stretching.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed
- Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool.
- Get up and move around every few hours to keep your energy up.
FAQs in Relation to Can Better Sleep Help You Lose Weight?
How much sleep can help you lose weight?
Research has shown that getting enough sleep can help regulate hormones that control appetite, which may lead to weight loss.
Additionally, well-rested people tend to have more energy and motivation to exercise training, both of which can promote weight loss.
Conclusion
So, can better sleep help you lose weight? Yes, sleep helps you lose weight by regulating your hormones and makes you less likely to make unhealthy choices.
So aim for 7-8 hours of quality shut-eye each night, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier weight.
