How do you feel after a full night’s sleep? It might have been so long ago that you last had one, but do you remember feeling better rested, more alert, and in a better mood and feeling of overall wellness? Not only does getting regular, quality sleep help to improve your mental wellbeing, it also regulates your metabolism and can help you lose weight.
A study, led by Dr Virend Somers, Mayo Clinic professor of medicine and cardiovascular disease, found that sleep is important in your metabolism regulation and energy expenditure. Hormones increase your hunger levels when you’re sleep-deprived, which means you eat more and gain weight. If you maintain a regular, eight-hour, nightly sleep schedule, on the other hand, you regulate your metabolism and decrease your desire to overeat.
According to Doctors Jean-Philippe Chaput at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute and Angelo Tremblay of Laval University, ‘The solution to weight loss is not as simple as ‘eat less, move more, sleep more’. … However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction program to a patient with obesity.’
So what can you do to help ensure you sleep better and maybe lose a few pounds in the process? Remember to listen to your physiological body clock, and not the social clock. Too many late nights talking to friends can cause a sleep gap known as ‘social jet lag,’ which makes your natural circadian rhythm get more out of whack, and starts a vicious cycle of staying up late and feeling drained throughout the day.
In the evening, avoid stimulating your brain with too much TV or using the computer close to bedtime, and don’t overdo it on the caffeine. This applies all day but especially in the evening. During the day, make sure you’re exercising enough, especially outdoors, to help alleviate any stress and tension you may be feeling. If there is something particularly stressful going on in your life that is causing you to lose sleep with your worries and anxieties, talk to someone about it and turn to stress-reducing activities such as yoga or meditation. Also, check any medication you’re taking doesn’t affect the quality and duration of your sleep.
Comments are closed.