sleep and weight loss

How are quality sleep and weight loss intrinsically linked

Health

Many people struggle with the weight loss process and to have a body they desire. Slimming down correctly is the most troubling part one may come across. Is losing down those extra pounds is your biggest fear too? You may have given up on sugar and junk foods in favor of eating more vegetables, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates. You may have hit the gym regularly and try to move as much as possible throughout the day. Despite you have made changes to your diet and your exercise routine you still struggle? There’s another lifestyle change that you need to make.

What you may not realize is that getting quality sleep is a very important part of losing weight. If you don’t sleep well or long enough, this can be one reason you can’t lose weight or can’t keep it off. Sleep deprivation can undo the benefits of dieting. Working long hours or not having time to unwind after a busy day can be a cause of restless nights. Being anxious about your work performance or getting tensed for being out of work can lead to anxiety, a great sleep depriver.

So, with our never-ending to-do list and commitments, it almost seems impossible to get to bed at a reasonable hour these days. We all know that sleep is important, but did you know that lack of sleep can actually cause our waistline to increase? Between work, family, responsibilities, planning and cooking meals and consistent exercise, people ignore the fact that lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on your weight. When you skimp on your sleep, you can’t hope to lose weight in a healthy way. If you really want to lose weight, make your nightly shuteye a priority.

As a rough estimate, we need around eight hours of sleep per day. However, It’s more a question of the quality of sleep, than the length of time you sleep. For instance, many people take sleeping pills to get off those restless and sleepless nights, may mean they are getting some sleep, but these do not give them a quality sleep. One may also feel drugged or tired after taking them. Hence, an adequate amount of quality sleep is essential for successful weight loss.

This doesn’t mean that getting more sleep alone will help you lose that extra twenty pounds. You do of course need to stick to a healthy diet plan and an exercise routine. A healthy diet routine and physical activity will help you get quality sleep. This, in turn, will help you get a renewed sense of energy and promote your ability to stick to a healthy diet. All of these small steps are cumulative, the overall outcome will be a healthy weight loss.

Now, let us dig a little deeper about the connection between sleep and weight loss. To understand the impact of quality sleep on weight loss, keep on reading.

Tips and tricks to get a quality sleep :

  • Establish a consistent sleep schedule. Set a fixed time to get in bed for yourself and stick to it. Also, get up around the same time every day. Over time, your body will adapt to this sleep schedule.
  • Get a good night’s sleep by dimming the lights when the bedtime draws near. Do not exercise too close to bedtime.
  • Steer clear of all caffeine from mid-day or later as it may keep you awake. Avoiding caffeine during the evenings and drinking milk before bed may help you get a good sleep.
  • Eating balanced meals can also help the digestive tract function well, which in turn produces fewer incidences of upset stomach or heartburn both of which can keep you up at night.
  • Make sure you get 7-8 hours of required sleep. If you feel that you are just too busy to get enough sleep find tasks in your daily life that you can cut out or that are taking up too much of your valuable time.
  • Find ways to outsource tasks to give yourself more free time. Hire a housekeeper to come in once a week or concierge services to run your errands. Also, don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to free up your time.

These are a few tips to help you start getting your zzz’s and getting those hormones back on track. A balance of quality sleep, healthy eating and exercising altogether help in weight maintenance. Each person is different, so find out what works for you!