Can Lack of Sleep Affect Weight Loss?

Can lack of sleep hinder my weight-loss success?

You might think sleeping and weight loss have nothing to do with each other, but they most certainly do!

You already know the importance of eating healthy, drinking eight glasses of water a day, exercising…….the list goes on. But besides the nutrition and fitness suggestions, getting enough sleep is just as important.

Studies show that it takes more than 1-2 nights of good sleep to make up for the effects of long-term sleep deprivation. Staying up late or for extended periods of time then hoping to make up for it on the weekends may not cut it (especially if you’re busy raising kids).

Not only does lack of sleep often lower your energy, but it can also affect how you feel, eat and fight off infections. If we don’t get enough sleep, we may feel more sluggish and not always think clearly. We may also eat more and feel more run down (many of us get sick more often).

Chronic lack of sleep has been linked to obesity and hormone imbalance. Leptin (an appetite-controlling hormone), for example, is linked to sleep. Leptin suppresses appetite and if you lack in sleep, leptin levels fall. The result? Your brain isn’t getting the message that you’re full or not hungry, so you tend to eat more.

So the important thing here is to get more sleep or at least enough for our bodies to rest (7-9 hours, as recommended by the CDC). Having a hard time falling asleep? Try to relax (easier said than done) and take a warm shower, cup of hot decaf tea or read a book for a bit.

Try to avoid eating close to bedtime but if decide to do so, pick foods that induce sleep like warm milk, bananas, oats (they increase the level of tryptophan in your blood). Also, carbohydrate-rich foods coupled with dairy also increase tryptophan.

Rest those eyes tonight and get some good zzzzzz’s! Your body will thank you for it!

Source:  http://healthnews.ediets.com/diet-fitness/2010/01/ask-pam-can-lack-of-sleep-affect-weight.html