Table of Contents
Do you try hard to lose extra pounds in your body? Well! It is mandatory to know about the importance of sleep. Many people think that a heavy workout and balanced food are enough to lose extra inches quickly. But sleep plays a significant role in their weight loss efforts.
Even after spending hours in the gym and eating diet foods, you do not lose an inch with a proper sleep routine. Being short on sleep will affect your weight loss journey adversely. Are you wondering how sleep affects your weight loss effort? Scroll down your eyes!
Connection between sleep and weight loss
Sleep is vital to weight loss. Getting enough sleep at the right time is good for your circadian rhythm. While having a bad night’s sleep, you would not have the energy to go to the gym and work out. As you do not give your full effort, it becomes hard to burn more calories. The connection between weight loss and sleep does not end here; it goes much deeper.
Not getting proper sleep can mess with your metabolism, hunger hormones, and fat loss. Practicing your body to sleep at the right time will benefit your weight loss effort. It also contributes much to your weight management. In this case, you are not only struggling to lose extra weight but also gaining additional weight.
How does sleep affect weight loss?
The link between sleep and weight is stronger than you think. Here is how a poor night’s sleep reflects your weight loss effort.
- Sleep deprivation makes you eat more unhealthy food. As long as you do not sleep well, the hormone responsible for hunger increases. It means you intake more food than usual. Lack of sleep impacts the working of the hypothalamus region in the brain. So, you can no longer have regular appetite and energy expenditure.
- Not getting enough sleep makes you burn fewer calories. As your motivation and energy levels take a hit, you find it harder to hit the gym and do more physical activity to burn extra fat quickly. If you sleep less than five hours a night, your weight loss effort will never succeed.
- Sleep deprivation impacts glucose metabolism heavily. Insufficient sleep causes your body to store more fat even if you do not eat more calories. According to research, short sleepers produce about 50% more insulin than average sleepers. Maximized insulin levels will lead to insulin resistance. It puts you at a high risk of obesity and type-2 diabetes. The deposition of excess glucose in the blood will result in weight gain.
- Besides, lack of sleep disrupts other things you do to lose weight. Based on a recent study, insufficient sleep may compromise the effectiveness of your dietary interventions for weight loss.
So, to eliminate excess calories, pay more attention to sleep, like dieting and exercising. Make your body clock adapt to 8 hours of sleep regularly to get all the benefits of your weight loss effort.
Tips for getting quality sleep
Are you in the middle of your weight loss journey? Are you still not getting the expected result? Do you want to change your sleep routine to improve your weight loss effort? Follow these tips carefully.
- Keep a regular sleep schedule and stick to it properly. A small change in your sleep schedule will cause a change in your metabolism and minimize insulin sensitivity. As a result, blood sugar will elevate in your body and bring various health issues.
- Avoid exposure to artificial light, such as bedside lamps and TV, when sleeping. These things increase the risk of obesity and weight gain. Therefore, ensure you sleep in a dark room.
- Many people have the habit of eating more during the night. To reduce weight, the first thing to cut down is eating before bed. Eating late regularly may reduce the success of your fat loss attempts.
- Try to be an early bird because it impacts your body positively and contributes much to your weight loss. Going to bed late increases the chance of consuming more calories and puts you at risk of weight gain.
- Keep your mind stress-free because chronic stress may lead to poor sleep and increase your weight in several ways. Do not allow your mind to be surrounded by negative emotions.
- Finally, pay attention to what and when you eat. Avoid eating too heavy meals and alcohol close to bedtime. It also causes heartburn and makes you find it difficult to fall asleep. Likewise, stay away from tea, coffee, soda, and chocolate.
Bottom line
Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to lead a happy and trouble-free life. But, not getting enough sleep will impact your weight loss effort negatively. Additionally, it puts your body at risk of obesity and weight gain. So, make your sleep a top priority to lose extra inches quickly.
