INDUSTRY INSIGHT
FITNESS
SPONSORED CONTENT
Improve Your Sleep & Lose Weight
By Lisa Troyer
Research that was conducted at the University of Michigan concluded that sleeping an extra hour a night could help you drop 14 pounds in one year . That ’ s right , no crazy dieting or caloric limitations – just sleep . And don ’ t we all love to sleep ?
The problem is that most of us ( 1 / 3 of Americans ) are not getting enough of it on a regular basis . Yet experts agree that sleep is as important to your health , well-being , and weight as diet and exercise .
While you aren ’ t sleeping , your body is cooking up a perfect storm for weight gain . After a restless night , it ’ s easy to lean on a large latte to get moving . Exercise becomes a problem because you are just too tired to hit the gym in the early morning hours and way too tired to go after work . You are also too exhausted to cook a healthy meal so you rely on takeout . It ’ s a snowball effect . Let ’ s face it , skimping on sleep sets your brain up to make bad decisions .
Research has told the same story over and over again . When people were starved of sleep , late-night snacking increased and high-carb , high-fat snacks were the food of choice . It ’ s like the brain ’ s reward centers kick in , looking for something to make you feel good . It makes sense that if you are sleep-deprived , your body will crave energy-dense , high-carbohydrate foods , sugary snacks and comfort foods .
Insufficient sleep impacts your hunger and fullness hormones . Trust me , there are proven physiological , psychological and biological facts that back this up . But the real question here is , “ How can we achieve more quality sleep hours ?”
• POWER OFF : Electronics keep the brain busy . Shut everything down !
• LIMIT CAFFEINE / AVOID ALCOHOL : Caffeine after a certain time of day can keep you awake for hours . And alcohol disrupts everything to do with a good night ’ s sleep .
• CREATE A BEDTIME ROUTINE : This is actually # 1 for me . Going to bed and waking up at the same time is optimal for physical and psychological recovery . If I miss my bedtime window , I cannot fall asleep ; otherwise I am sleeping within 10 minutes .
• EXERCISE : For so many more reasons than sleep ! But a good workout will absolutely help you fall asleep faster .
• COOL DOWN : Lower your thermostat before bed . There is nothing like breathing in cool air to help you sleep longer and more soundly .
• AVOID HEAVY MEALS OR EATING AFTER 8:00 P . M .: Is there anything worse than crawling into bed with a full stomach and heartburn ? If all else fails , consult with your doctor . Sleep deprivation is no joke . Sleep debt is cumulative . There is no such thing as catching up on your sleep . Improved sleep habits will equate to feeling better , and when you feel better you will be better positioned to lose weight .
This Industry Insight was written by Lisa Troyer . Lisa Troyer has been in the fitness industry for more than 24 years and is the owner of Fitness Fanatics in the Great Southern Shopping Center . She currently holds four nationally recognized fitness and personal training certifications and can be reached at 412.220.4190 , ext . 3 or at fitnessfanatics @ verizon . net . Check out www . fitnessfanaticsinc . com for more great fitness tips .
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