Improvement In Sleeping Patterns Help In Weight Loss Journey

Introduction

Do you ever go through a challenging, groggy, and slow day from a lack of good sleep? It’s a universal feeling shared by those of us following a night of insufficient sleep. A good night’s rest is the cornerstone of a good life. Physically, it is associated with rest and the body’s ability to restore itself. Additionally, improved sleeping patterns have shown improvement in weight loss. Mentally, it helps us cope with stressful situations and use our mind’s ability to solve problems. Insufficient sleep can directly affect how we think and feel and hurt our health.

Diving into sleep, hunger, & weight loss journey

A lack of sleep can impact hormones that influence our hunger levels. For example, a study of young men deprived of sleep found that they had a higher level of ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating hormone, and reduced counts of leptin, which is its counterweight and regulates satiety or food satisfaction levels. There was also a related increase in hunger for a specific type of food – rich in carbohydrates and fat. Poor sleep can, therefore, directly slow down weight loss.

Understanding sleep

Sound sleep energizes your body and mind, enabling smooth functioning. Incomplete sleep, however, can lead to poor mental and physical health.

Typically, our sleep is divided into four stages of natural activity. Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep occurs first and typically thrice. On the other hand, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the second and fourth stages. NREM sleep is considered deeper, while REM sleep is when we have memorable dreams.

Sleep and our appetite

People who sleep less or poorly have a more significant window of eating time, increasing the possibility of eating or snacking. A self-reported study of people divided their sleep durations into short, medium, and long. Short sleep durations were 5 to 6 hours, medium sleep durations were 7 to 8 hours, and long sleepers slept between 9 and 10 hours.

The study concluded that both short and long sleeping times predict a risk of future body weight and fat gain in adults. A PubMed study of Japanese workers with 6 or fewer hours of nightly sleep found that they carried out a higher probability of irregular meal patterns, frequent eating of food from outside, and snacking.

To sleep more soundly

With mounting evidence, it is apparent that poor quality or low amounts of sleep harm one’s health. It is important to set ourselves up for deep sleep of an adequate duration. Here are a few tips on increasing our sleep quality:

Control daytime naps: While naps are common in some parts of the world, a prolonged nap over an hour in the middle of one’s day can impact sleep later that night. The earlier in the day a nap is done, the lower its chances of impacting nightly sleep. An exception to this is if you work night shifts.
Get physically active during the day: Consistent physical activity promotes better sleep. However, being physically active close to bedtime may be counterproductive.
Maintaining a sleep schedule: Adults should sleep 7-8 hours daily. To maintain it consistently and reinforce the strength of our sleep cycle, sleeping and waking up simultaneously every day, including weekends, is helpful.
Making our environment conducive to sleep: We sleep best in rooms that are cool, dark, & quiet. Our body temperature being regulated is a helpful way to fall asleep. Exposure to phone lights reduces our odds of falling asleep deeply or promptly. Quiet helps us fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

Paying attention to the food and drink we consume: Finishing dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime and showing restraint on alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine are helpful ways to get restful sleep. While caffeine and nicotine take hours to subside in the intensity of their effects, alcohol can interrupt sleep a few hours after it has been consumed.
Manage your mental health: We tend to concern ourselves with our worries before sleep. Journaling is considered an effective way of helping with that. Meditation and other relaxing activities are also recommended at night to aid the transition to sleep.

Conclusion

To improve one’s sleep is to set oneself up for weight loss success and general good health. One of the roots of good sleep is a consistent schedule for falling asleep. It also helps to maintain a schedule for one’s food consumption, mainly so that you give yourself about 3 hours between your dinner and sleep. Consistency around food and sleep schedules can improve your relationship with food, sleep, and body.