Not losing weight? May be you’re not getting enough SLEEP!

Sara, a 32-year-old female, she works at a call center in rotating shifts for the last 6 years. While she absolutely loved her work she was at a crossroad. She was chronically tired of being on a diet and rigorously following an exercise routine. Despite ‘working’ so hard in the office and in the gym, she was unable to lose weight.  

Any idea, why so?

Sara wasn’t getting enough sleep, hence she wasn’t losing weight!

It seems counterintuitive to push sleep as part of a successful weight-loss program, but the fact is that sleep is crucial to managing appetite as well as your metabolism.

To understand how sleep and weight loss (and weight gain) go hand in hand, let’s find out what happens during sleep.

Sleep deprivation disrupts the normal levels of hormones that are critical to regulating hunger and appetite -

• Ghrelin – It is a fast-acting hormone, produced in cells of the stomach, which spurs appetite and drives us to eat. It may particularly increase appetite for high-calorie foods. There’s evidence that ghrelin may also direct fat towards the midsection of the body, where it is most dangerous to health. When the body is deprived of sleep, the production of ghrelin increases. Research shows that even a single night of sleep deprivation can elevate ghrelin levels and appetite.
• Leptin – It is a hormone produced in white fat cells throughout the body that monitors your sense of fullness (or satiation). Low sleep suppresses leptin production, making us more likely to feel ongoing pangs of hunger. Even short-term sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce leptin levels. The next time you feel hungry the whole day after a night out, you know whom to blame!
• Insulin – Insulin's job is to convert calories (from what you eat) into energy that the body can use efficiently as fuel. It is only released into the bloodstream when there are calories that need to be processed. Poor sleep makes it hard for insulin to do its job; hence you get cravings to lose control of your appetite!

Also Read: Health Benefits of Sleep

While sleep deprivation leads to these interior chemical imbalances that drive behaviors and habits we succumb to, it also saps us of the energy necessary to intellectually discipline ourselves to eat sensibly or make better choices.

Lack of sleep also causes dips in mood, which leave us feeling shabby, even blue, and these moods are powerful informants of behavior. Depression and anxiety also commonly lead to emotional eating, choosing "comfort foods," and other behaviors that perpetuate weight gain instead of weight loss, such as forgoing the gym for a day on the couch watching TV.

And all of this happens simply because you aren't getting enough sleep!

Also Read: Dealing with sugar cravings when you’re stressed

Conclusion: Add sleep to your weight loss regime to see the effective results!

Diet and exercise are certainly major keys to improving weight loss goals and managing a healthy weight.

Watching what you eat is critical because thoughtful calorie intake is at the heart of weight management. Exercise helps jumpstart your metabolism and can prevent insulin resistance as well as improve muscle tone, bone strength, mood, and body processes (including sleep!).

Without a good night's sleep, these valiant efforts could be thwarted if brain and body chemistry shift out of balance. Therefore, it's better to think of your weight loss program as a three-pronged approach: diet, exercise, and sleep!

Also Read: Obesity is a medical condition, not cosmetic. Treat it

10 Tips for Having Healthy Sleep Hygiene

1. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (even on the weekends!).
2. Avoid caffeine consumption (e.g., coffee, soft drinks, chocolate) starting in the late afternoon.
3. Avoid smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.
4. Expose yourself to bright light in the morning—sunlight helps the biological clock to reset itself each day.
5. Make sure your bedroom is conducive to sleep—it should be dark, quiet, comfortable, and cool.
6. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow.
7. Exercise regularly during the day or at least three hours before going to bed.
8. Develop a relaxing routine before bedtime—ideas include bathing, music, and reading.
9. Don’t go to bed feeling hungry, but also don’t eat a heavy meal right before bed.
10. Reserve your bedroom for sleeping only—keep cell phones, computers, televisions, and video games out of your bedroom.