Weight Loss and Sleep – What You Need to Know

Losing weight is a popular New Year’s resolution, but it’s not just about diet and exercise. Recent studies have shown that getting enough sleep plays an important role in how much you weigh. In this blog post, we will discuss the link between sleep and weight loss and what you need to know.

How Sleep Impacts Weight Loss

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t function as well as it should – including your metabolism. Studies show that people who are sleep deprived tend to be hungrier and eat more calories than those who get adequate rest. When you don’t get enough sleep, hormones in your body are affected too. Ghrelin, a hormone associated with hunger increases when you are tired while leptin, a hormone that makes you feel full decreases when you are tired. This means that if you don’t get enough rest, your body will crave more food even if it doesn’t need it – which can lead to weight gain over time.

Sleep deprivation also affects your energy levels so if you are feeling tired during the day, there is a good chance that you won’t have the energy to work out or engage in other activities such as walking or biking which can help with weight loss. Finally, lack of sleep can also cause stress which can lead to emotional eating – another factor associated with weight gain.

What You Can Do

The good news is that there are steps you can take to ensure that you get enough rest each night so that your body functions properly and helps with weight loss efforts. First and foremost, make sure that your bedroom is dark and cool at night so that it promotes better sleep quality. Aim for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted shuteye each night and avoid caffeine after 2 pm so that it does not interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night. Additionally, try going to bed at the same time each night so that your body gets used to a routine schedule of sleeping and waking up at certain times each day. Finally, try avoiding screens such as TVs or smartphones before bedtime as this has been linked to poor quality of sleep due to blue light exposure which can interfere with melatonin production – a hormone associated with natural sleep cycles.

Getting enough quality rest plays an important role in managing your weight loss goals since it affects hormones related to hunger and satiety as well as energy levels throughout the day – all factors associated with successful weight management efforts! So make sure that getting adequate rest is part of your wellness plan this year by creating an environment conducive to better shuteye as well as establishing regular sleeping schedules so that your body gets used to it! Good luck!