Here Are A Few Tips To Lose Weight Even As You Close Your Eyes
New Delhi: A good night’s sleep is just as important as eating healthy and exercising. In fact, sleep may be the last thing on your mind when you’re trying to lose weight. Adequate sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Actually, the benefits of a good night’s sleep go way beyond just boosting your mood or minimising dark under-eye circles. But, nowadays, more and more people are at risk of not getting enough shut-eye, and the quality of sleep has also decreased. Lack of sleep has been linked to a number of health problems. Poor sleep is strongly linked to an increased risk of weight gain and obesity – both in children and adults. Read: Want to get rid of stubborn belly fat? Just cut this ONE food from your diet to lose weight fast
A recent study found that three-quarters of dieters who had a good night’s sleep and regular sleep patterns found it easier to shed pounds from their waistline. According to the study, about 74% of participants who slept for seven and a half to eight hours every night didn’t struggle to stick to a diet or lose weight. However, people with erratic sleeping patterns were more likely to snack and also have chaotic eating patterns. Poor sleepers were also more likely to snack between meals and end up cheating on their diets than those who get enough sleep. Read: This is the exact amount of SLEEP you need to burn belly fat effectively
Here are a few tips to lose weight even as you close your eyes:
Sleep Positions For Sleep Apnea And Snoring
People with sleep apnea experience more light sleep and less deep sleep compared with people without apnea. A strong relationship also exists between a history of snoring and complaints of daytime sleepiness. Furthermore, many adults sleep with a partner, and snoring and symptoms associated with sleep apnea can negatively impact a partners’ sleep and daytime functioning. Poor sleep has also been linked to glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, among other negative health outcomes.
Body position during sleep may reduce snoring and improve sleep apnea. One study found that 50% of patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea and 19% with moderate obstructive sleep apnea both saw a 50% reduction in sleep apnea events by sleeping in a non-supine position. Research also has found that sleeping in the side position decreases the frequency and severity of these events in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and with central sleep apnea. Therefore, sleeping in the side position is recommended for people with both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
In addition to positional therapy, other treatment options for sleep apnea include:
- Avoiding alcohol and certain medications such as sleeping pills
- Using continuous positive airway pressure
- Treating associated medical problems
Sleeping Positions To Avoid With Tummy Trouble
This isnt shocking news, but its best to not sleep on your stomach when youre having stomach problems. First of all, sleeping on your stomach puts all of your weight on the place thats in the most pain, not a great move.
Secondly, its very hard to get good spine alignment when you sleep on your stomach, as youre automatically putting strain on your hips and back. That stress and strain can lead to greater inflammation and prolonged toilet troubles.
If you have GERD, reflux, or extreme nausea, avoid sleeping flat on your back. Laying flat makes it easier for the acid to travel and you want all that acid to stay right in the stomach, where it belongs.
For constipation, sleeping on your side with your knees tucked may feel comfortable but may not have any great effects on relieving the constipation. It wont do any harm, but be sure that your knees arent pulled in too close to the chest. You want the position to be as relaxed as possible.
If you have diarrhea, sleep in whatever position allows you to get out of bed the fastest.
Theres not much a sleeping position can do to help diarrhea, so its best to stick with what feels comfortable and lets you run to the bathroom when the time comes.
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Theres Lots Of Research Showing Links Between Sleep And Food Choices
Back in 2011, the NHS examined research and subsequent media coverage showing a link between poor sleep and weight. The American study investigated the relationship between sleep, stress and peoples attempts at weight loss. It also drew upon previous research showing a link between poor sleep and obesity. The NHS conclusion? While there were potential issues with the study, the results made sense: It seems intuitive that if someone is not sleeping well and is under stress, then sticking to a weight-loss programme will be more difficult, they said.
As the years have rolled on, further research has emerged, and it seems to show similar results.
If youre sleep-deprived, we know youre potentially more emotionally fragile, so youre more likely to make impulsive food choices, says clinical diabetologist Professor Eleanor Scott of the University of Leeds. A typical situation would be when people have small children who are awake in the night theyre going to crave carbohydrate-rich foods the next day. They give us an instant energy boost when were feeling tired and make us feel good. We know sugar makes us feel better, but its only a temporary fix. So, sleep deprivation alters our emotional choices.
Sleeping In A Darkroom
A dark room can help provide a sleep-promoting hormone known as melatonin. Sleeping can regulate the hunger hormones more in the body and help the calorie-burning process.
The melatonin provided will also transform food into energy instead of fat. Melatonin can help increase your metabolism rate and can help in converting the brown fat, which is considered harmful for your body, to white fat.
White fat is essential for the body, and the best thing is it doesnt impact or accumulate around other areas of the body or the stomach.
Small light exposure can also impede melatonin production, which is good, so it is better to sleep in a room with complete darkness to prevent those extra fats from your body.
To achieve total darkness, turn off all the lights in your room and cover the curtains, which will help block any light from passing your room. A dark room can also help in providing coolness and make you sleep better at night.
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Ways Sleep May Help You Lose Weight
If youre trying to lose weight, the amount of sleep you get may be just as important as your diet and exercise.
Unfortunately, many people arent getting enough sleep.
In fact, about 35% of US adults are sleeping fewer than 7 hours most nights, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep at night is considered short sleep .
Interestingly, mounting evidence shows that sleep may be the missing factor for many people who are having difficulty losing weight.
Here are 6 reasons why getting enough sleep may help you lose weight.
Health Issues That Can Be Helped By Sleeping On Your Back
- neck pain lying on your back helps to align your body in a way that can ease neck pain. Make sure you have a supportive pillow. Memory foam can be a good option, as it supports your neck while allowing your head to sink into the pillow. Read more about what to do when you wake up with neck pain
- colds, allergies, asthma and nasal congestion try not to lie flat on your back, as this can make congestion worse. Sleep in an upright position by propping up your head and upper back with pillows. This will help open up your airways and may help your nose to empty if its blocked up
- if youre concerned about wrinkles sleeping on your back may be better for your skin. Its thought the pressure of the pillow on your face could cause you to get fine lines and wrinkles over time
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Is Sleeping On Your Side The Most Common Position
Most people prefer to sleep on their side. This is supported by a study showing that children sleep on the side, back, and front equally, with a growing preference for the side position when approaching adulthood. Side-sleeping with an arm overhead is the most common sleep position, representing 55 percent of the time asleep in bed. Research suggests that the preferred side position increases with age due to a loss of flexibility of the spine.
Patients with heart failure, however, instinctively avoid the left side position during sleep, possibly to avoid discomfort and shortness of breath. Instead, this population prefers to sleep in the right side position.
Try Exercising Around Three Hours Before You Sleep
Performing exercises three hours before you sleep can help enhance your metabolic rate, which can help burn calories when you have fallen asleep. After the activity, sleeping in a stomach position can help you get excellent weight loss results. You can also perform some stretches before bed for a good nights sleep.
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On Your Back With Your Head Raised
Thus far, weve really sung the praises of sleeping on your back. But theres one digestive problem that can make back sleeping a real issue acid reflux.
Being flat on your back during a reflux attack is very unpleasant. The supine position itself makes matters worse, as the position allows the acid to travel up the throat fairly easily.
Also, if you have any sinus or snoring conditions, straight-up back sleeping can do more harm than good. Luckily, a simple adjustment can make all the difference add pillows! In other words, elevate your head.
By lifting the head, acid reflux now has to work against gravity to annoy you, which tends to minimize reflux effects. Also, the raised head position helps clear sinuses and reduces snoring.
To find the right amount of elevation for you, start with an extra pillow. If you have extreme acid reflux, GERD, or sleep apnea, you may want to try a padded wedge. The triangular-shaped pillow gives greater support to your head, neck, and ribcage.
Throw Out The Night Light
Exposure to light at night doesn’t just interrupt your chances of a great night’s sleep, it may also result in weight gain according to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Study subjects who slept in the darkest rooms were 21 percent less likely to be obese than those sleeping in the lightest rooms.
That leads us to our next sleep-slimming trick.
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Tips For Quality Sleep During Weight Loss
There are many ways to improve sleep. Here are a few research-based tips for sleeping better when youre trying to lose weight:
- Keep a regular sleep schedule: Big swings in your sleep schedule or trying to catch up on sleep after a week of late nights can cause changes in metabolism and reduce insulin sensitivity, making it easier for blood sugar to be elevated.
- Sleep in a dark room: Exposure to artificial light while sleeping, such as a TV or bedside lamp, is associated with an increased risk of weight gain and obesity.
- Dont eat right before bed: Eating late may reduce the success of weight loss attempts
- Reduce Stress: Chronic stress may lead to poor sleep and weight gain in several ways, including eating to cope with negative emotions
- Be an Early Bird: People with late bedtimes may consume more calories and be at a higher risk for weight gain. Early birds may be more likely to maintain weight loss when compared to night owls.
Sleeping Early Can Prevent Late
Going to sleep earlier may help you avoid the late-night snacking that often comes with staying up past your bedtime.
Pushing your bedtime later means youre staying up longer, which creates a larger window of time for eating, especially if it has been many hours since dinner .
For example, if you ate dinner at 6:00 p.m. and you stay up until 1:00 a.m. every night, youre likely going to be hungry at some point between dinner and bedtime.
If youre already experiencing sleep deprivation, you may be more likely to opt for less nutritious options. Thats because sleep deprivation can increase your appetite and craving for high calorie, high fat foods .
Interestingly, late-night eating is associated with greater weight gain, a higher BMI, and decreased fat oxidation making weight loss more difficult (
31 ).
Ideally, try to limit your food intake 23 hours before bed. That said, if youre hungry, consider having a small, protein-rich snack, such as Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
Summary
Poor sleep can increase your calorie intake by increasing late-night snacking, portion sizes, and the time available to eat.
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When To Talk To Your Doctor
Sleeping on your stomach is not recommended by most sleep experts, but there are actions you can take to make it more comfortable. If you have tried a few sleep positions and you are still not getting restful sleep, talk to your doctor. They can provide personalized guidance to improve your sleep, based on your personal medical history.
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Add Hand Or Ankle Weights To Your Walk
You don’t have to give up your daily walk in favor of strength training workouts simply pick up a pair of 1- to 3-pound dumbbells or strap on a pair of ankle weights to turn your walk into a strength training and cardio session in one. Since strength training is so important to building muscle and burning fat, squeezing a weight into your workouts when you can is a smart way to up your calorie-burning potential all day .
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Loosen Up Tight Muscles
One of the main physical components of yoga is stretching. If you have tight muscles from sitting at your desk or exerting yourself, practising yoga before bed could help relieve muscle tension, prevent injury, avoid waking up stiff or sore, and enable you to get a good night’s sleep, so long as you don’t overdo it.
/6switch Off Your Phone
The moment you have an electronic device in your bedroom, the more distracted you are right before you go to sleep. This means you sleep less. The less you sleep the more the body tries to make up for it by overeating. Reduced energy also means you are not as active throughout the day which impacts the amount of physical activity you get. Also, blue light that is emitted from phones may hamper melatonin production in the body. It might be best to keep your phones away when you sleep if you want to shed that extra weight.
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Set Yourself A Bedtime
We all acknowledge that getting an optimal amount of sleep is paramount to our health, and yet busy schedules, movies, and cellphones get in the way of getting sound sleep. Committing to a healthy number of snoozing hours per night helps the body to burn more fat. An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that well-rested people burned 20% more calories after eating than those who got less, improper sleep.
Turn Down The Thermostat
Sleeping in the subtly cold enhances the effectiveness of our storage of BAT that helps burn the fat stored in the belly, thereby keeping us warm. A study published in the medical journal, Diabetes, showed that people who slept in rooms with a temperature of around 66 degrees burned 75 more calories than those who slept in warmer rooms.
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How Yoga Promotes Weight Loss
Yoga promotes weight loss in different ways. The following are key weight loss benefits of yoga:
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Helps Cultivate Mindfulness:
Practising yoga develops mindfulness and awareness of the body. This prevents impulsive eating, thereby restricting weight gain. For example, mindful eating helps exercise portion control and staying away from unhealthy foods. Regular yoga practice also calms anxiety leading to behavioural changes to prevent stress eating.
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Speeds Up The Metabolism:
Hatha and power yoga poses like the Sun salutations and Bhastrika Pranayam help speed up the metabolism, contributing to better digestion. This aids weight loss.
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Burns Calories:
Sun salutations with intensive breathwork are as effective as aerobic workouts and help accelerate calorie burn. Some active styles of yoga like Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, and Vinyasa Yoga also prevent weight gain.
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Burns Belly Fat:
Restorative yoga poses help burn harmful abdominal fat by working on the core muscles. Trikonasana and the Cobra pose are great at reducing upper and lower belly fat.
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Promotes Lean Muscle Formation:
Yoga poses like the Boat pose, Plank pose, Chair pose, and Bow pose work on the glutes, abdomen, and hamstrings, helping you lose fat, strengthen muscles, and promote muscle formation.
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Increases Flexibility:
If you practise yoga regularly and for a long time, your body will become highly flexible. Yoga also tones your body making you look lean and fit.
Side Sleeping In A Foetal Position
If you sleep on your side, curl your knees up to your chest and tuck your chin in, youre sleeping in a foetal position, like a baby does in the womb you may also be comfortable to put your arm under your pillow.
While studies have revealed that side sleeping is the most common position, researchers are yet to find out how many people specifically sleep in the foetal position.
What is known is that sleeping in the foetal position has the same benefits as side sleeping. But, if you tuck your chin down it can cause a painful head position and strain your neck.
And, like with all side lying positions, you may not want to sleep in a foetal position if you have shoulder pain, as the pressure you place on it throughout the night can irritate it. Try sleeping on your back instead while you heal.
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