How Sleep Affects Body Weight
Do you think willpower alone is a sufficient force to combat excessive weight? Have you heard of weight loss programs where they promote mind-control to will away the pounds and prevent them from coming back? Of course you have, and, truthfully, theres something to it.
The real willpower force in weight loss is a sort of metaphysical focus where you willfully put yourself in a relaxed, subconscious state. You intentionally enter this state on a daily basis and, given the proper time duration, natural and systematic forces in your body take over and regulate your weight through a highly-complex, conversion process of food to energy. This metaphysical state is 100 percent natural, and its called sleep.
Sleep is the wildcard in the weight loss deck. Unfortunately, few people know just how important the sleep card is, nor do many know how its properly played. For a great part, your brain is controlled by signals your stomach and digestive system is sending it.
You know when your stomach says its hungry, and you know when the rest of your body says its tired. You also know when you feel heavy, and you recognize it when you look in the mirror. But what you probably dont know is how this physically happens and how this ties into sleep and loss of weight.
Can You Lose Weight While Sleeping
Unfortunately, sleep alone won’t lead to significant weight loss
But proper sleep can help you avoid excess weight gain
Less sleep can lead to hormonal imbalance and feelings of hunger
Editors Note: upwave is Turner Broadcastings new lifestyle brand designed to entertain the health into you! Visit upwave.com for more information and follow upwave on , , , and Instagram .
The rumor: You can drop pounds by catching Zs
The not-so-secret way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more, right? Well, according to some, sleeping thats right, catching more Zs can help you shed pounds. So, should you swear off the gym in favor of more time snoozing under the sheets?
You might think that the more hours youre awake, the more calories youre burning, so you should be losing more weight. But youd be wrong.
In fact, people who dont sleep enough at night risk gaining extra pounds, not losing them, according to John M. Jakicic, director of the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh.
I think poor sleep is a contributing factor to weight gain, says Jakicic. When you have poor sleep or lack of sleep, youre setting a whole cascade of events in motion hormonally that could set you up for weight gain.
Less sleep = Less energy
Sleep can curb hunger
Sleep Is Linked To Metabolism
The stage of sleep characterized by dreams and rapid eye movement may be a factor in how many calories the body burns at rest. During REM sleep, heart rate increases and brain activity most closely resembles that of a wakeful state. All that action requires glucose as fuel, which leads to a higher resting metabolic ratethe energy a body needs for basic functioning, Dr. St-Onge says. People cycle through REM and non-REM stages repeatedly during sleep, with REM periods getting gradually longer as the night goes on. That means if your sleep is cut short, you lose out on those extended REM stretches. A small study published in the journal Obesity found that volunteers who were roused after a mere four hours of slumber woke up with 2.6% lower resting metabolic rates compared with their baselines. Says Dr. St-Onge, This could make weight loss or maintenance harder. More research is needed to determine actual effects on the scale.
Another metabolic note: Compared with people who get adequate sleep, those who consistently get short sleep are more likely to exhibit decreased insulin sensitivity and increased concentrations of cortisol. This dual hormonal effect could raise a persons risk of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetesan existing medical concern for many people living in larger bodies.
Also Check: Low Heart Rate When Sleeping
Will Drinking Water Before Bed Help You Lose Weight
Related Articles
Water not only quenches your thirst, but it also plays a crucial role in your health. Making up about 60 percent of your body weight, water helps regulate body temperature, lubricate and cushion joints, protect your spinal cord and rid the body of wastes by facilitating urination, sweat and bowel movements. Water may also play a role in appetite control and therefore help you lose weight if you drink it at the right times. Before bed may not be the best time to guzzle a glass, however.
Sleep Loss And Exercise
Exercise is a crucial component to losing weight, if thats your goal, as well as to staying healthy. But if youre not sleeping enough, you may not have the energy to get moving.
Although research on sleep loss and energy expenditure is lacking, sleepiness and fatigue tend to increase sedentary behavior. This, in turn, likely leads to less exercise and physical activity.
Recommended Reading: Are Sleep Number Beds Covered By Medicare
If Youre Experiencing Persistent Disruptions To Your Sleep Consult With A Pharmacist To Discuss Possible Solutions
Any advice provided in this content is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, health or needs. The information in this post is not intended to substitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be exclusively relied on to diagnose or manage a medical condition. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice we give you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on our advice or purchasing any over-the-counter sleep product.
Does Oversleeping Cause Depression
Its important to remember that oversleeping is a possible symptom of depression and that oversleeping doesnt cause depression. But it can exacerbate and worsen depression symptoms, Dr. Drerup explains. If someones oversleeping, they may wake up and feel like theyve missed out on the day, she says.
Read Also: Alternatives To Cpap For Central Sleep Apnea
Sleep Leads To Better Calorie Burn
While you sleep, youre likely to burn somewhere between 50 and 100 calories an hour. According to Walker, When you dream, your brain can be asif not moreactive than when youre awake.
Experts are now learning that getting the right amount of sleep encourages a healthy metabolism, and skimping on sleep throws it out of whack. For example, a 2012 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that when a small group of men and women got only four hours of sleep a night, their bodies became more insulin-resistant, a red flag for obesity and diabetes.
Other research has shown that sleeping in cooler temperatures can stimulate a type of fat called brown fat, which burns more calories and has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. In a 2014 study, a group of healthy men spent a month sleeping in a 66° room. After just one chilly month, the men had a 42% increase in brown fat and a 10% increase in metabolic fat activity. Sleeping in a cool room may sound like an easy fix, but its no cakewalk. Simply turning up the AC and wrapping up in a blanket doesnt count. The researchers suspect the act of shivering is one of the primary drivers of the effect, so you have to really feel the chill.
Tips For Healthy Sleep Hygiene
Establishing healthy sleep habits can help improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Follow a nightly routine that includes time for relaxing activities like taking a bath, listening to music, or reading.
- Turn your bedroom into a healthy sleep environment by dimming the lights and setting the thermostat to an ideal sleep temperature of 65°F .
- Aim to get out of bed in the morning and go to sleep at night around the same time each day.
- Turn off electronics including your phone, television, and computer at least 60 minutes before bedtime.
- In the evening hours, avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large meals with a high-fat content.
- Reduce stress levels through mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, and other relaxation exercises.
- Engage in 30 or more minutes of exercise and physical activity each day.
- Speak with your doctor if changing your sleep habits doesnt help or you have concerns about your sleep hygiene.
Also Check: Sleep Number P5 Replacement Foam
Don’t Be A Cardio Junky
Cardio is great, and there are lots of good reasons it should be a part of an overall fitness plan. But strength training should be, too, especially for anyone who wants to take advantage of nocturnal weight loss. This is because strength training continues to burn calories after the session is over. A stop at the gym after work, or even a simple at-home strength workout can keep the body in calorie-burning mode all night long, even after bedtime.
Keeping a pair of dumbbells or a resistance band next to your bed is a good visual reminder to add in full-body strength training at least three times a week. Work the larger muscles, like the glutes and legs, as well as the arms, back and core.
Does Sleep Affect Weight Loss: Lack Of Sleep And Appetite
Hormones play a big part in regulating or increasing our appetites – for instance most of us feel hungrier than normal when we’ve drunk alcohol the night before, normally because weve had less quality sleep and our hormones have been disrupted.
PLos Med research shows that when ghrelin and leptin, the two hunger hormones, are impacted, with disruption to sleep, it can change our diets or how much we crave food. Ghrelin, a hormone which helps to tell you you’re hungry, is released when you have an empty stomach, while Leptin helps to suppress hunger and informs the brain when were hungry.
However, Seabright said: “Sleep is key for our body to regulate these hormones. When the body is not able to regulate these properly, the result can be increased hunger levels and reduced satiety, which make it more difficult to adhere to a nutritionally optimal diet.”
In fact the research around these two hormones, with over 1000 people, found that participants who slept for shorter periods, than those who had a good night’s sleep, had higher ghrelin levels and lower leptin levels. While BMI levels were also higher in the participants who slept for less hours each night.
“When we dont get enough sleep, ghrelin, the ‘hunger hormone, and leptin, the ‘satiety hormone, can become imbalanced leading to increased feelings of hunger and reduced satiety throughout the day,” Seabright explained, “Not only do you feel hungrier, but you are less able to recognise when you are full!”
Recommended Reading: Sleep Number Close To Me
Does A Good Night Sleep Help You Lose Weight
But this is Does A Good Night Sleep Help You Lose Weight no longer necessary. I want to see the window, and I can see it on the small spacecraft and Malecas I m riding now.
Horace s two eyestalks were close together. She looked like she was short, and it seemed that her six legs could not bear her weight.
Therefore, I really don t want to know that top secret. The lunar base may be captured and the earth is in danger of being occupied.
I think so, sir. Call him. Is anyone wearing an armored power suit there Yes, sir. Zmo started calling, and Frank said to Hendrick Which witness do you want Come to defend you Well I don t need any witnesses, he knows what he did Just give me a veteran does a good night sleep help lose order I m leaving here.
Ren. does a night lose weight Only when tragedy comes along which is a necessity of good help you weight history will they understand the big mistakes they have made.
It didn t take does a good night sleep help you lose weight long for me to order them bread and does a night help you lose wine, or whatever else I needed.
At that time, no one came to ask for my opinion, I was just a soldier sent by someone.
There are squad guards in various dangerous places. The black cube base is more heavily guarded.
Can Better Sleep Help You Lose Weight
Mar 10, 2020 | Mental Health & Well-Being, Weight Loss and Healthy Eating Tips
Sleep is great isnt it? Think about how refreshed and alert you feel after a good nights sleep. But did you know that sleep isnt just good for our mental health and alertness, but sleep is also crucial to helping you on your weight loss diet.
Whats interesting is that the amount of sleep you get each night can directly affect your diet and weight loss journey.
Don’t Miss: Sit N Sleep Sherman Oaks
The Relationship Between Sleep Deprivation And Weight Gain
The entire imbalance of leptin, ghrelin, insulin, orexin, serotonin and cortisol can be attributed directly to a lack of decent sleep thats manifested in a feeling of being continually tired and hungry. Theres no doubt a lack of sleep is responsible for an inability for you to lose weight and there are two main reasons: The metabolic aspect is whats just been described. Then theres the behavioral aspect.
A lack of rational decision-making caused by a poorly-functioning and exhausted cerebral cortex is made worse by a stimulated amygdala, which is the reward center of your brain. When you make the choice to eat more and exercise less a choice prejudiced by a lack of sleep your brain rewards you with a full feeling, especially when you eat foods that are high in fat, sugar and carbohydrates.
Not only do you unnecessarily eat the wrong and unhealthy types of foods when youre tired, but youll eat more of them to fulfill a false sense of hunger. These same foods are high in energy and go one-step further in tricking your body into believing that a boost of energy has arrived. Subconsciously, thats just enough for a false sense of security that says maybe youre getting enough sleep to get by. You may feel fine in the short-term, but its doing nothing to wear down that supply of extra weight youve been trying to eliminate.
Why More Sleep Can Help You Lose Weight
If you want to lose weight, experts say you need to get enough sleep. Specifically, researchers have reported that women who sleep 5 hours or less per night generally weigh more than women who sleep 7 hours per night.
These findings, presented at the 2006 American Thoracic Society International Conference, showed that women who slept 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to experience major weight gain and 15% more likely to become obese over the course of the 16-year study, compared to those who slept 7 hours a night.
Those women who slept 6 hours per night were still 12% more likely to experience major weight gain, and 6% more likely to become obese, compared to women who slept 7 hours a night.
This is the largest study to track the effects of sleep habits on weight gain over time it included nearly 70,000 middle-aged women.
The women were first monitored in 1986, and they reported their weight every 2 years for 16 years. At the start of the study, the women who slept 5 hours or less per night weighed an average of 5.4 pounds more than those sleeping 7 hours. They also gained an additional 1.6 pounds more over the next 10 years. While that doesn’t sound like a significant amount, it adds up. That’s 16 pounds in 10 years, and 32 pounds over a 20-year period.
Don’t Miss: Sleep Number Store Winston Salem
Lack Of Rest Makes You Crave Food
Many people believe that hunger is related to willpower and learning to control the call of your stomach, but that’s incorrect. Hunger is controlled by two hormones: leptin and ghrelin.
Leptin is a hormone that is produced in your fat cells. The less leptin you produce, the more your stomach feels empty. The more ghrelin you produce, the more you stimulate hunger while also reducing the number of calories you burn and increasing the amount of fat you store. In other words, you need to control leptin and ghrelin to successfully lose weight, but sleep deprivation makes that nearly impossible. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that sleeping less than six hours triggers the area of your brain that increases your need for food while also depressing leptin and stimulating ghrelin.
If that’s not enough, the scientists discovered exactly how sleep loss creates an internal battle that makes it nearly impossible to lose weight. When you don’t sleep enough, your cortisol levels rise. This is the stress hormone that is frequently associated with fat gain. Cortisol also activates reward centers in your brain that make you want food. At the same time, the loss of sleep causes your body to produce more ghrelin. A combination of high ghrelin and cortisol shut down the areas of your brain that leave you feeling satisfied after a meal, meaning you feel hungry all the timeeven if you just ate a big meal.
And it gets worse.
How Does Room Temperature Impact Quality Of Sleep
Yes, it does, but the best room temperature differs for each person. For many people, a room temperature of about 65 to 72 degrees F is considered ideal for the best sleep. Higher room temperatures tend to make falling asleep more challenging. Higher temperatures also contribute to more wakefulness, which negatively impacts sleep satisfaction and the feeling that one had adequate rest.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Bed To Sleep On