Following a strict diet and exercise regimen is simply not enough for weight loss. You need to ensure that you get sufficient sleep, which is vital for weight loss. Researchers found that a good amount of sleep helped in losing weight. People who slept for a period of six to seven hours had greater chances of losing weight. Researchers recommended cutting back on busy schedules and going to bed earlier as an important factor in reducing stress. Reduced stress levels help in getting a good sleep, which result in weight loss. Insufficient sleep is associated with changes in hormones that regulate appetite.
Importance of sleep in weight loss
A good night’s sleep can help you shed off those extra pounds and get healthier quickly. According to research studies, the amount of sleep you get greatly influences your appetite as well as your body mass index or BMI. Insufficient sleep disrupts the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which are vital for controlling appetite. If you are planning to lose weight pay adequate attention to getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep daily. Your body produces leptin, a harmone that helps in controlling your appetite when you get enough sleep. Leptin helps you feel full and satisfied after a meal. However, sleeping for nine hours or more is not good for health. The hormone ghrelin gets regulated at such a time and it increases appetite. Lack of leptin and more ghrelin creates a feeling of less satisfaction after eating. Therefore, you tend to eat more often, which results in weight gain.
Affects of lack of sleep on weight loss
Lack of sleep has a great impact on the secretion of cortisol by your body. Cortisol is a hormone that manages your appetite. This leads you to crave for foods that are unhealthy. Your body is unable to metabolize carbs, when you do not get sufficient sleep. This leads to problems such as higher blood sugar and a large amount of insulin production, thereby resulting in weight gain. This can also result in diabetes. Less than 7 hours of sleep everyday increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and causes numerous health problems.
Sufficient sleep and less stress help in weight loss
You will be able to achieve your weight loss goals when you reduce stress levels and get a good sleep for seven to eight hours. Besides getting enough sleep, studies suggest overcoming depression, exercising regularly and maintaining a well-balanced healthy diet as effective means for weight loss.
As the saying goes, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Ensure that you go to bed early and get enough sleep. Sufficient sleep is key to effective weight loss.
