How sleep can help women lose weight

Think about how good you feel after a complete night’s sleep - well relaxed, more alert, in a much better mood and able to face the day. Here’s an additional to getting sufficient regular, good sleep: It regulates metabolic process and can help you lose weight.

Did you know that research has brought to light that weight loss and extra weight are related to the amount of sleep 1 gets?

Sleep regulates the metabolic process

In a research conducted by Mayo Clinic professor of medicine and heart problems Dr. Virend Somers and his colleagues, it was discovered that sleep is an important regulator of metabolism and energy expenditure. When you are sleep-deprived, hormones which regulate metabolism and improve hunger are affected, stimulating an increase in eating calories. The likely effect is weight gain.

Good sleep can curb cravings

In another research, researchers from St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital and also Columbia University in New York shed some light on the link between our length and phase of sleep, and hunger and weight gain. They discovered that the length of time we sleep is essential, but sleep composition - the time and percentage of overall sleep spent in every stage - is associated with decreased metabolic rate, improved hunger as well as increased the consumption of calories, specially from fat and carbohydrates, which can, in turn, lead to weight gain.

Sleep is a prescription for weight loss

Conversely, maintaining a regular sleep schedule (an average of 8 hrs per night) assists control your body’s metabolism and reduces the desire to overeat. The link between sleep and obesity has led many doctors, such as those in the Canadian Obesity Network, to include more sleep as part their recommended weightloss program.

Doctors Jean-Philippe Chaput at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Study Institute and Angelo Tremblay of Laval University are quoted in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, as stating, "The solution to weight loss is not really as easy as 'eat less, move more, sleep more'. … However, an accumulating body of proof shows that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction program to a patient with obesity."

Add sleep to your weight loss program

Now, that you have some knowing about the relationship between sleep, hunger and weight gain, here are a few things you can do to assist ensure you sleep better and maybe lose a few pounds in the process.

• Don’t consume a lot of caffeine, especially in the evening.
  
• Ensure you are exercising enough, especially out side, to assist alleviate some of that stress and tension.
  
• Do not take medication that may impact the quality and duration of your sleep.
  
• Stay away from watching TV or using the pc late during the night and too close to bedtime.
  
• If there’s something mainly stressful happening in your life that is causing worry and anxiety, speak to someone regarding it and add some stress-reducing activities to your day such as yoga or meditation.