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Lack of Sleep Affects Weight Loss
I’ve been suffering from a bit of insomnia recently. But did you know that lack of sleep affects weight loss?
It is true, experts have shown that a lack of sleep affects weight loss and you can actually gain weight. The lack of sleep not only affects your general well-being and physical health, but also messes with your brain’s fundamental mechanisms for curbing those hunger pangs.
How? Sleep deprivation impacts on your hunger and fullness hormones in the brain. Most people need between 7 to 9 hours a day, but I am certainly not getting that at the moment.
Hormones not helping
When you sleep less, you produce less of the hormone leptin that tells you that you are full and satisfied. Which means you reach for that biscuit barrel or chocolate.
Meanwhile, you also produce more of the hormone ghrelin, which tells your body that it needs to eat more. As a result your portion control and food choices turn less healthy.
In addition to this, the general tiredness due to lack of sleep leads to an excess of the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone actually tells your body to conserve energy and hang on to all your extra fat. Not good.
Lastly, research has shown that after even 4 days of not getting enough shut-eye, your body doesn’t respond as efficiently to insulin. This leads to fat being stored as the body cannot process this in the bloodstream as well as usual.
All these things added together mean that too little sleep makes you feel hungrier, make poor diet choices, feel less satisfied after food and have a lower metabolism to actually process food. It is no wonder that a spell of hot weather and sleep deprivation have driven my scales up!
So what do you do?
Follow these tips. Or these if you need even more help to get your best sleep.
So, what do I plan to do to combat this?
What if there is a spell of hot weather that stops us all from sleeping?
I plan on putting several strategies in place.
- Watching what I eat. Yes, I know that these hormones are sending out the wrong signals to my brain, but by putting the right nutrition in there my body can at least be in the best state it can be to regulate my temperature. I’m also going to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. You’re more hungry when you’re thirsty.
- I’m going to watch when I eat. I’m going to cut down on cola, tea and coffee, and never drink these after lunchtime. Caffeine from these drinks and even too much dark chocolate can stay in the system for hours. Also, I’m not going to eat in the 2 hours leading up to bedtime, as food laid in the stomach can affect sleep patterns.
- I am going to practice good sleep hygiene, turn off all lights, remove my phone so I can’t keep time checking if I do wake up, and make sure that my bedroom is as dark and cool as it can be. It is also good sense to have a routine before bedtime of a relaxing bath, no computer or phone screens for the hour before sleep and no TV in the bedroom!
- One of the best things to do is to keep to the same waking and bedtimes every day. Routine helps.
As for keeping cool at night in a hot dry spell, try these tips at 10 Ways to Stay Cool on Hot Nights
I hope you get some sleep soon! For more motivation do follow me on Twitter Instagram or Facebook. Or do comment below.
Need some help losing weight?
Why not read my key tips in The 10 Commandments of Weight Loss
Or read my post here on sticking to a diet in tough times.
I’m taking part in the Weigh in Wednesday linky with Becca from Beccas Blogs It Out and Emma from Sunshine and Rain.
No wonder I have trouble losing weight with two 2 year olds who hate sleep
I know. It’s so difficult when we are constantly sleep deprived!
Good timing Jo, my sleep has been awful this week! I was away staying at my parents so that might have been why, but I’ve definitely noticed a difference in the way I am functioning so I imagine a lot of this is happening inside my body too. Thank you for sharing 🙂
I hope your sleep is getting back to normal. A whole run of bad sleep takes a lot of catching up!
I had no idea about that. Good sleep hygiene is so important for my mental health, I have been using an app called ‘calm’ and it is really helping me feel sleepy and settle down for a better night. Thank you so much for linking up with us for #AbloggingGoodTime
Certainly sleep and mental health go hand in hand. Might look into that app. Had also seen a blog post about magnesium lotion that may help the body relax. Thank you, hope you get some good sleep!
well this would explain a lot lol. thanks for linking to #ablogginggoodtime
I agree, as a completely sleep deprived mum my chances are constantly being ruined!