OBESITY AND SLEEP
Believe it or not, the two are linked. Studies have proven that those who sleep for lesser hours or have irregular sleep patterns, struggle to maintain a healthy weight. In fact when you sleep less, your metabolism falls, and in turn, your body struggles to burn calories through the day. Lack of sleep leads to hormone imbalance and, in turn, can have a dramatic effect on weight loss or fat gain. Our body’s are designed to perform certain functions during our sleep, so if you cut out on your sleep, you cut into a natural process. The body’s ability to process glucose (sugar) also decreases with fewer hours of sleep. Sleep experts say there are a number of things you can do to lose weight and improve your sleep:
Make healthy choices for your meals. Avoid fast foods. Eat more fish, fruits and vegetables; avoid foods high in carbohydrates or fats.Start getting consistent exercise, which will improve the quality of your sleep. Most experts, however, advise us to avoid exercising less than 3 hours before bedtime, because exercise is alerting and can make it harder to fall asleep.Examine your sleep schedule. Are you getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night? Do you wake up feeling refreshed or lethargic? Do you wake up frequently during the night? Are you underweight, overweight, or just right?
Believe it or not, the two are linked. Studies have proven that those who sleep for lesser hours or have irregular sleep patterns, struggle to maintain a healthy weight. In fact when you sleep less, your metabolism falls, and in turn, your body struggles to burn calories through the day. Lack of sleep leads to hormone imbalance and, in turn, can have a dramatic effect on weight loss or fat gain. Our body’s are designed to perform certain functions during our sleep, so if you cut out on your sleep, you cut into a natural process. The body’s ability to process glucose (sugar) also decreases with fewer hours of sleep. Sleep experts say there are a number of things you can do to lose weight and improve your sleep:
Make healthy choices for your meals. Avoid fast foods. Eat more fish, fruits and vegetables; avoid foods high in carbohydrates or fats.Start getting consistent exercise, which will improve the quality of your sleep. Most experts, however, advise us to avoid exercising less than 3 hours before bedtime, because exercise is alerting and can make it harder to fall asleep.Examine your sleep schedule. Are you getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night? Do you wake up feeling refreshed or lethargic? Do you wake up frequently during the night? Are you underweight, overweight, or just right?
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