The modern era is all about more work and less rest, which has made our lives more hectic than we could ever imagine. It barely offers us time to get a good night’s sleep. But sleep is as crucial for good health as diet and exercise are. Increased brain performance, mood, and health are the boons of good sleep.
If you want to avoid the risk of diseases and disorders, you should switch to sound sleeping habits. Bad sleeping habits can result in diseases of varying severity, from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia.
Another important point is the sleep quality— you might sleep for a longer time, but if there are frequent interruptions, it doesn’t help. Rather, you might end up in a grumpy mood.
A consistent sleeping schedule can make you feel refreshed and help rejuvenate your mind. For the night howlers or those with irregular schedules, they find getting quality sleep extra challenging. The biggest enemy of sound sleep is the stress that can result due to factors beyond our control.
In this blog, we will talk about why sleep is important for weight loss and how does sleep affect weight loss.
Transform your sleep habits and achieve your weight loss goals today! Reach out to us for expert advice.
Book AppointmentA] Understanding The Science Behind Sleep & Weight Loss
If we are honest, being short on sleep is the perfect recipe for weight gain. While you are sleeping, your body works out for weight gain. So, does sleep help you lose weight?
Having adequate sleep or not has a direct correlation with gaining or losing weight. Your exercise pattern, eating habits, and everything get distorted due to sleeping less, which catalyses weight gain.
The critical factor behind this mechanism is metabolism, a chemical process in which the body converts what we drink and eat into the energy needed to survive. All our activities, from a minuscule second to an hour, breathing to exercising and everything in between, are part of metabolism. While exercise can temporarily increase metabolism, sleep cannot.
In fact, metabolism slows by roughly 15% during sleep, peaking in the early morning, and multiple research studies have shown that sleep deprivation frequently leads to metabolic dysregulation. If you are facing issues with sleeping, why not consult the weight loss doctor in Mumbai?
B] Sleep Deprivation and Weight Gain
Sleep deprivation is closely related to higher levels of oxidative stress, glucose intolerance (a precursor to diabetes), and insulin resistance. Extra awake time may increase eating opportunities, whereas sleeping less may disrupt circadian cycles, resulting in weight gain. Sleep for weight loss profoundly impacts hormones that regulate appetite, stress, and metabolism.
Disrupted sleep patterns can alter the balance of leptin, ghrelin, and cortisol, leading to increased hunger, poor dietary choices, weight gain, and heightened stress levels. Prioritising good sleep hygiene and getting sufficient quality sleep is crucial for maintaining a healthy hormonal balance and overall well-being.
NHANES or The National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey, found that people who slept for less than 7 hours each night had considerably higher rates of obesity. Sleep loss negatively impacts the process of thinking and learning, memory, and capacity to recall, and thus on the ability to work efficiently and socialise freely, and results in a general feeling of being “disconnected” from the world.
Obesity, a poor lipid-LDL-lipoprotein profile, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD), as well as early death, are all linked to sleep deprivation.
C] Does Sleeping Long Hours Solve The Problem?
Definitely not. Sleeping long hours is, in fact, not a healthy sign. A normal human needs about 8 hours of sleep. Anything more or less should draw attention and also can act as an early warning sign.
Well, there are several ways we can improve our sleep quality. It starts with creating a sleep-conducive environment, followed by a consistent sleep schedule, meaning following a routine as to when one should go to bed and wake up.
While you can do a lot more to improve your sleeping habits, one thing is for sure sound sleep will help you manage weight gain. From hormonal regulations to impacting your metabolism positively, sound sleep boosts your energy levels, ultimately leading to emotional well-being.
D] Sleep Strategies for Weight Loss
Sleep is necessary for energy replenishment. Sleep deprivation can make you fatigued and lethargic, making it difficult to find the energy to exercise. Decision-making, coordination, and response time can all be seriously compromised, limiting your ability to engage in physical activities safely and successfully.
Sleeping well helps in muscle recovery and repair. If you are going through rigorous exercises or weight training, then restorative sleeping will help you in quick recovery. On the other hand, sleeping less increases the risk of injury and muscle soreness.
Here are some useful tips for improving sleep habits:
- Stick to a Consistent Schedule: Going to bed and waking up at a particular time every day will help you improve your sleeping habits; remember, you must stick to the plan even on weekends.
- Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Your mind needs to be calm to have a good and sound sleep. A calming bedtime ritual, like reading or taking a warm bath with scented candles by the side, can signal to your body that it’s nap time.
- Limit Exposure to Screens: It’s better to Avoid screens (phones, computers, TVs) for a considerable amount of time before going to bed. The blue light emitted by this device can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle.
- Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment:A bedroom which is dark, quiet, and at a soothing temperature can help get you proper sleep.
- Exercise Regularly: Your body needs regular physical activity. It helps improve sleep quality, but that doesn’t mean you will do intense workouts close to bedtime.
- Manage Stress: Deep breathing works miracles to calm your mind, and meditation and yoga can be an added advantage to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Limit Naps: Avoid naps during the daytime. If you still need them, keep it short (20-30 minutes).
- Limit Liquid Intake Before Bed: Going to the toilet infrequently after going to bed at night can hamper your sleep and limit the intake of fluid before sleep.
- Use Natural Light Exposure: Let yourself be exposed to natural light during the day. It helps in the regulation of your body’s internal clock.
- Limit Clock Watching: Count the sheep, not the clock. Constantly checking the time increases anxiety. Get the clock out of sight.
- Seek Professional Help: If you’re having trouble sleeping or losing weight, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. Consulting a sleep specialist or healthcare professional can provide you with vital insights and personalised solutions to improve your sleep and general well-being.
- Limit Stimulants: Reduce your stimulant intake such as caffeine and nicotine, especially in the hours before night. These substances can potentially disrupt your sleep patterns and make it more difficult to get restorative sleep.
- Avoid Heavy Meals Before Bed: If you consume large meals, caffeine, or heavy or spicy foods before or after dinner, it’s time to quit. It can cause stomach discomfort, higher metabolism, caffeine-induced alertness, disrupted sleep, and poor sleep quality, all of which can harm your sleep.
- Limit Alcohol Intake: Alcohol, although it makes you feel drowsy initially, is not necessary for you to fall asleep rather, it severely disrupts sleep patterns and reduces sleep quality.
Transform your sleep habits and achieve your weight loss goals today! Reach out to us for expert advice.
Book AppointmentConclusion
Clearly, there is a connection between getting enough sleep and losing weight. Sleep is very important when it comes to maintaining a healthy metabolism, hormonal balance, and overall well-being. Sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain, hormone disturbance, and an increased risk of a number of health issues.
To achieve your weight loss objectives, prioritise adequate sleep hygiene and make positive changes to your sleeping patterns. The first step towards a healthier you is to get enough sleep. Schedule a visit with a healthcare expert or sleep specialist to address any sleep-related difficulties right away.
Are you ready to prioritise your sleep and reach your weight-loss goals? Don’t put it off any longer—take the first step towards a healthy you. Book an appointment today to begin your journey to greater sleep and overall well-being.