21 September 2023
Relationship Between Weight Loss and Sleep
The relationship between weight loss and sleep has been the subject of numerous studies, with detailed reports published on this topic. According to the findings of all these studies, there is a clear connection between weight and sleep. For those looking to lose weight, having quality sleep is practically a necessity.
In today’s conditions, it is known that many people do not have quality sleep. Poor and insufficient sleep negatively affects human health and has a negative impact on both weight loss and weight gain processes.
Is There a Relationship Between Sleep and Weight?
Losing weight is a challenging process in every aspect, and to succeed in this process, individuals need adequate and high-quality sleep. Poor and insufficient sleep can have various negative effects on the body, particularly on insulin sensitivity, making it more difficult to lose weight.
Research examining the relationship between sleep and weight has found that poor sleep quality increases the risk of obesity. Therefore, it would not be incorrect to say that poor sleep makes weight loss more difficult and increases the tendency to gain weight.
Sleep is known to affect many hormones in the body. Leptin hormone regulates the feeling of fullness, while ghrelin hormone stimulates hunger. Changes in the levels of these hormones can occur due to inadequate and poor-quality sleep.
In a study, the levels of leptin (fullness) and ghrelin (hunger) hormones were examined in individuals who slept for 4 hours and those who slept for 10 hours per day. It was observed that individuals who slept for 4 hours had lower levels of leptin (fullness) and higher levels of ghrelin (hunger) than what is expected.
The effect of sleep on hunger and fullness hormones directly impacts the processes of weight gain and weight loss. Those looking to lose weight should establish a regular sleep pattern and aim to sleep for at least 7-9 hours per day.
Does Sleep Cause Weight Gain?
The fundamental reason for weight gain is that calorie intake exceeds calorie expenditure. In other words, consuming too much food while engaging in too little physical activity leads to weight gain. From this perspective, sleep does not have a direct impact on the process. However, the situation may not be as straightforward as it seems.
Irregular sleep patterns can disrupt eating habits. Due to insufficient sleep, the hunger hormone increases, and the hormone responsible for fullness decreases. As a result, people start eating more and taking in more calories than they need. Excess calories are stored as fat.
Another consequence of insufficient sleep is stress. Increased stress levels can lead to an increase in the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels can stimulate appetite. All of these factors can contribute to weight gain and even obesity.
People do not become obese overnight. First, their eating habits change negatively due to poor sleep, and they start gaining weight. Although the gained weight may not bother them at first, over time, their eating habits continue to promote weight gain, eventually leading to obesity. Therefore, it would not be incorrect to say that sleep deprivation is a factor that can lead to obesity.
For Quality Sleep and Weight Loss To establish a high-quality sleep routine, certain steps and rules need to be followed. It is not possible to suddenly create such a routine or acquire such a habit. Therefore, the first step is to eliminate bad habits and work towards adopting good ones.
Quality sleep can be achieved through simple precautions and basic rules. Here are some of the things to do for quality sleep:
Set a fixed bedtime and stick to it unless there is something very important.
Determine a fixed time to wake up. Even if you went to bed late the night before, try to wake up at the set time.
Use your bed only for sleeping. Avoid habits like reading books or watching television in bed. If you have such habits, quit them.
Avoid caffeine and acidic beverages in the 3 hours before your sleep time, except for very important situations. Also, try to avoid exposure to phone and television screens.
Ensure you have an orthopedic mattress.
Stop eating and drinking 4-6 hours before your sleep time.
Make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet throughout your sleep duration.
Remember that your sleep should be a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 9 hours.
By following these points, you can achieve quality and regular sleep. This will not only have a positive impact on your weight loss process but also provide protection against weight gain.
No related posts.