People often relate sleep to their body weight. The common misconception that has been making the rounds is that people who sleep more gain more body mass in the process. While it may sound valid at first, it has no bearing or truth at all.
Yes, sleep may contribute to a person’s overall health, but at the end of the day, even that isn’t enough to help anyone gain a few pounds, as there are a lot of other factors that may cause that as well.
With that said, having an appropriate amount of sleep helps with gain loss. This is because it affects the way our body works; it affects our overall metabolism. Here are a couple of interesting tidbits about the correlation between sleep and weight to understand this better.
Lack of Sleep and Hunger: How It Impacts
A recent study showed that the reward system part of our brain would trigger the urge to get snacks without a good amount of sleep. It may be considered as our mind and body’s way of compensating for something that we lack. Our body needs to rest for us to regain our strength.
If we do not have enough sleep, our brain will move on to the next best source of our energy—food. This is why people who only have a few hours of sleep every day, around two to three hours, give or take, tend to go for midnight snacks, even after they’ve had their dinner earlier that evening.
Lesser Insulin
Insulin, a hormone that breaks down the carbohydrates, sugar, fats, and proteins from our food, gets reduced due to lack of sleep. It may not be as apparent as the other symptoms of sleep deprivation, but you will get to see and feel its long-term effects.
After a few months, your weight will increase due to the fats and cholesterol not being broken down because of the lack of Insulin.
How Do I Get Enough Sleep?
Because of smartphones and computers, getting an ample amount of sleep has been made harder over time. However, you can still do a couple of things to get a proper amount of rest at night. These are just a few recommendations.
Cut Down on Your Coffee Intake
You don’t have a cup of coffee every day. As long as you can get enough rest at night, you will have an energetic morning fueled by caffeine. More organic options are available in terms of energy-boosting, such as exercising.
Switch off or Mute Your Phone an Hour before You Sleep
One thing that often keeps people awake at night is their thoughts. If they see something online that bothers them, a triggering post or a funny story, they will not calm themselves well enough to get sleepy.
Follow a Strict Schedule
Be firm about your sleep schedule. There’s nothing wrong with being OC with your daily routine, so as long as you will have enough time to rest at night, you’re good to go.
Avoid Eating before Hitting the Bedroom
It is a lot harder to sleep with a full stomach. Depending on your meal that night, you may even experience an offset of heartburn, making it even more challenging to get a good night’s rest.
Calm Your Mind
Problems are a natural thing to have in life, but once you’re in the bedroom, it’s time to forget about them, even for a whole seven to eight hours. Give yourself time to regain your energy and senses and tackle a new day tomorrow.
Conclusion
Sleep deprivation can affect the human body profoundly, and out of all these significant effects, gaining weight could probably be the most significant one. While there are many misconceptions about the correlation between metabolism and sleep, one thing’s for sure—the more hours you spend sleeping, the more body mass that you’ll lose.
Have an ample amount of rest at night and regain your energy by the morning. Avoid having midnight snacks and follow a strict sleeping schedule. Not only is it beneficial to your health, but it is also an excellent way to stay fit.
For the best weight loss programs in Birmingham, AL, Weigh to Wellness is more than happy to serve you. Board-certified medical professionals oversee our weight loss programs, and we are backed by our 25 years of experience in weight management. Let’s discuss your weight loss plans today!