Lose Weight by Sleeping More!

Just as important as physical activity is to keeping us fit and healthy, so is getting enough sleep!  You may not realize it but if you’re not getting enough sleep at night, this is probably playing a big role in weight gain or the ability to lose it! 

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about the effects sleep deprivation has on weight and overall wellness.  There are many studies that have been done that show that the less sleep you get, the more likely you are to be overweight.  There’s lots of reasons different researchers have come up with, but what some have suggested may be the cause of this is that lack of sufficient sleep may throw off your gherlin and leptin levels.  These are the hormones that regulate hunger and appetite.  Lack of sleep seems to cause gherlin levels (hunger) to go up… and leptin levels to go down… which is what signals the brain that you’re full.  Result = Overeating.  Other research suggests that it’s actually your stress hormone, cortisol, that increases when your body doesn’t have enough rest.  The result, again, is an increased appetite. When any of these hormone levels are disrupted, or when your body is just not rested enough to function properly, it also throws off your metabolism.  Our metabolism, among other things, is the process your body uses to convert food into energy.  The better your metabolism functions, the higher the rate at which this process occurs.  When your metabolism slows down, your body starts conserving calories and stores unused energy as fat.  A lot of very complicated balancing acts occur in the chemical processes within your body and it’s so amazing how the very slightest change or imbalance can affect your whole system. 

Bottom line, you should be getting at least 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.  If you’re getting less than that, you’re not giving your body the recovery time it needs! Some researchers suggest that adding some extra slumber time might just give your metabolism the boost it needs to help you start losing extra pounds.  I’m sure the studies will continue, but all the experts agree on one thing…getting the extra rest can’t hurt!!   If you think about it, it’s true.  If you’re not well rested, you’re more likely to be too tired to stay active or go to the gym, and lay around in front of the TV instead!  Or, too tired to pack or make yourself a healthy meal and run through the fast food drive-thru instead!  Keep your energy level up by giving your body the rest it needs, and there will be nothing but benefits to your overall well-being!