Of all of the
gadgets, supplements, potions and secret weight loss formulas, research is
finding that one of the most effective
ways to manage and lose weight is to get a good night’s sleep. An adequate amount of good quality sleep not
only helps to give us energy to get through the day, but keeps our mind clear
and working well. However as our lives
get busier with work and family obligations, as well as more time spent in front
of television and computer screens, more and more people are sleeping only 5
to 6 hours a night (most experts on
sleep recommend at least 7 to 8 hours
per night). A study in a group of nurses
showed that less than 5 hours of sleep per night were as much as a third more
likely to gain more than 30 pounds over the course of 16 years. This amount of weight not only can contribute
to overweight and obesity, but also a significantly higher risk of cancer,
heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure – diseases which are the majors
causes of death and disability in the United States.
Different reasons
contribute to the association between sleep deprivation and weight gain. First, inadequate sleep can affect levels of
2 important weight management hormones- leptin and ghrelin. Leptin, a hormone released by fat cells,
tells your brain that you are full and have had enough to eat. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and does
the opposite – it gives your brain signals that you are hungry. With sleep deprivation, these hormone levels
are affected in the way that prompts you to want to eat more – meaning that
leptin levels are lowered and ghrelin levels are increased, even though you
have had enough to eat. The reason may
be because your body is responding to deprivation of sleep as a stress
response.
Sleep deprivation
and fatigue also can make you more likely to have cravings for unhealthy
carbohydrates and excess sweets-such as chips, cookies, pastries and large
portions of bread and pasta. This may be
another response by your body to the sense that it needs more energy in one
form or the other – and food is the most convenient and reliable option at the
time. This quickly can turn into bad
eating habits whether or not you are getting enough sleep. You may also find that putting the effort
into preparing a healthful meal is too demanding because of fatigue, and
ordering take out or fast food is more enticing – and surely much higher in
calories, sodium and fat.
Lack of sleep and
resulting fatigue also promotes reliance on caffeine sources such as coffee,
energy drinks and sodas. These are often
quite high in calories from sugar and/or fats. Fancy coffee drinks can have as much as 600 calories per serving, and 1
can of regular soda may contain the equivalent of 11 cubes of sugar! And since many of us build up a tolerance to
caffeine with regular use, several servings per day of these beverages may
contribute many more calories than you may need in a day- quickly leading to
excessive weight gain.
Too tired to
exercise? This is a very common
complaint, and may also be related to problems with weight management. If you are exhausted from lack of quality
sleep, motivation to take a morning walk or go to the gym after work will be
nonexistent. As we know how important
exercise is for general health and weight management, this issue will become
more of a concern as more weight is gained,
So if you are
trying to lose weight, consider your sleep habits and take them into
account. If you are having difficulties
with daytime fatigue, restless sleep, nighttime snoring, depression or
inability to concentrate, or an excessive intake of caffeine, be sure to
discuss these issues with your physician for a plan of treatment. Sleep difficulties can come from a variety of
causes, and to optimize your weight management success, should be properly
diagnosed and treated.
