HEALTHY LIFESTYLE · JUNE 2018
HOW SLEEP SUPPORTS WEIGHT LOSS
This article is going to explore the effects that poor / limited sleep has on your body and how this can also affect your weight loss program and ability to get lean , ripped and lose weight . Your body weight varies mainly depending on how much / little food you eat , but there are also many other variables that can have an indirect effect on your ability to lose weight and keep it off . Recent studies have suggested that the less sleep you get , the more your hormones will be impacted , significantly affecting how you feel on a diet and how well you stick to that diet .
BRAIN FUNCTION
A lack of sleep directly influences your brain function by setting it up to make bad decisions . Sleep deprivation , or sleep debt , happens when either don ’ t get enough rest , or a poor night ’ s sleep . When this happens , it dulls the activity in your brain ’ s frontal lobe , which is the area that correlates with decision making and impulse control . Plus , your brain ’ s reward center becomes stimulated . Your tired , overworked body is essentially looking for comfort , and you are more likely to turn to comfort foods , especially high-carb , high-fat snacks . Larger portioned meals are also more likely to be chosen by the tired mind .
HUNGER HORMONES
Rest is like a meal for your brain , and the average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours each night to function properly . Without it , the hormones that regulate both hunger and fullness are compromised and are unable to send the messages to the brain to make choices about how much food to eat .
CHANGES IN FAT CELLS
These hormone changes have a rapid effect on your body as well , and it doesn ’ t take much time at all to see and feel the difference . It only takes four days of sleep debt for your body to disrupt your body ’ s ability to properly use insulin . Insulin is the hormone that allows your body to sue the energy from food . In fact , insulin sensitivity can drop as much as 30 % in this time period .
SABOTAGE GYM TIME
Lack of sleep is the enemy of muscle , which is a big problem . Not only does being tired influence bad decisions and also create mental and physical fatigue for a less effective workout , but it literally decreases protein synthesis , which is your body ’ s ability to make muscle .
TIPS FOR A BETTER NIGHT ’ S REST
Even the most attentive of us can fall into a pattern of poor sleep . As seen above , it doesn ’ t take long for your body to become compromised from a lack of rest , resulting in both shortterm and long-term health risks . In fact , it is estimated that up to one third of adults are suffering from sleep debt at any given time , meaning they aren ’ t getting the estimated 7 to 9 hours of rest needed for a healthy sleep duration . And a lack of sleep isn ’ t only personal , many vehicular and industrial accidents are caused each year due to operator fatigue .
If you ’ re still tired despite your best efforts , consider your sleep environment . Create a bedtime ritual and schedule . If you like to read each night before bed , set a specific time to sit down be-fore bed . Turn off the television , tablets , and put down the phone 60 to 90 minutes before sleep each night .
By Frank Apodaca
10 HEALTHY MAGAZINE