Sleep and rest are necessities that most of us lack and often put on a back burner. In this post I explain how sleep influences our ability to lose and maintain weight.
Healthy and restful sleep allows the body to boost immunity, manage weight, reduce stress, balance hormones, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Sleep is as important to your body as diet and exercise, but it can sometimes feel like self-care that can wait, or a reward you need to earn. But the opposite is true. Did you know that while you sleep, your body is busy healing and repairing itself, learning, rebalancing your inner homeostasis, and even burning fat.
You might not think you need more sleep, but your body is probably telling you something different if you:
- Feel a need to drink caffeine throughout the day to stay alert and energized
- Fall asleep easily during TV shows, car rides, or other activities before bedtime
- Oversleep on weekends (to catch up from the week)
- Have trouble controlling your appetite
- Find it difficult to focus and concentrate
- Don’t have as much energy for exercise or playing with children
- Have less interest in sex
Can Lack of Sleep Increase Appetite?
One common understanding about the connection between weight and sleep involves how sleep affects appetite. While we often think of appetite as simply a matter of stomach grumbling, it’s actually controlled by neurotransmitters ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin promotes hunger, and leptin contributes to feeling full. The body naturally increases and decreases the levels of these neurotransmitters throughout the day, signaling the need to consume calories .
In addition, several studies have also indicated that sleep deprivation affects food preferences. Sleep-deprived individuals tend to choose foods that are high in calories and carbohydrates.
Here some healthy and natural tips for a healthy and restful sleep:
– Blue light blocking glasses: Studies have shown that exposure to blue light from computer, tablet, and smartphone screens may negatively affect circadian rhythms and sleep. A simple way to protect yourself is by wearing blue light blocking glasses any time you’re staring at a screen and especially after 4 pm. You can grab an inexpensive pair online.
– Brain Dump: An hour before bedtime, grab a journal and pen and dump out everything that’s in your brain. All the lists, concerns, fears, anxiety, and even ideas and leave them there for the next day.
– Go to bed each night at the same time and wake-up each morning at the same time: if you can, try to start each day with 3 deep breaths and exercise.
– Limit Media: I think that media (both social media and the news) ramps up the noise levels in our brains. These negative cycles facilitate neuronal pathways that keep us in a state of anxiety and depression. Be really intentional about the media you consume; physically set limits on your phone for certain websites and choose to check-in only 1 to 3 times per day.
– White Noise Machine
– Weighted Blanket
– Try 2 kiwi prior to bed (helps to reduce time to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Supplements and teas to try for healthy sleep and weight loss:
- Passionflower – very safe and reliable, calming. Used for people who can’t sleep as their brain “can’t stop the chatter.” Used as tea 1 hour before bedtime.
- Valerian – several studies show improvement in sleep quality, duration of sleep, and reduced awakenings, also available as a tea.
- Lavender – Silexan (lavender oil capsule preparation), can significantly improve quality of sleep.
- Chamomile – may significantly improve sleep latency and sleep quality. Also available as a tea.
- Magnesium Glycinate: nightly for mineral support and relaxation. It also improves insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.
Schedule your consultation with us to evaluate your habits for healthy weight loss.
Resources:
sleepisgoodmedicine.com
aasm.org/clinical-resources/patient-info/
sleepfoundation.org/sleep-aids/natural-sleep-aids
Disclaimer:
All content and information on this website is for informational and educational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice, and does not establish any kind of patient-client relationship by your use of this website. Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any professional, legal, medical and financial or tax-related decisions.
