Most of us are probably familiar with the process of losing weight. Weight loss can be prompted by a variety of factors, including: going on a diet, exercising more frequently, and cutting back on alcohol and caffeine. Besides from these common factors, did you know that there is actually a link between how much you sleep and weight fluctuations? So, regulating your sleep cycle and making sure that you are not oversleeping or undersleeping can actually be beneficial towards your weight goals. There is actually a significant link between getting enough sleep and maintaining a healthy weight. There have been countless studies conducted to prove that this relationship in fact exists. Don’t worry, we have done the research and broken it down below so that you don’t have to!
The importance of sleep
Sleep is basically essential for every part of our lives. It’s so important to be maintaining a regular sleep cycle, and getting between seven to nine hours of sleep each and every night. Maintaining a healthy sleep cycle involves more than just getting a good night’s sleep, though. There are many factors that can help improve your sleep! You can start with making sure you have a comfortable and relaxing sleep environment. Make sure you have good quality sheets and pillows, and even invest in a better mattress if you’re able to. Make sure you use your bed to ONLY sleep in (no work or eating!), keep a comfortable temperature in your bedroom, and avoid harsh lights before bedtime. To create an efficient sleep schedule, try to ensure that you are going to bed at the same time every night, and waking up at the same time every morning.
How sleep deprivation impacts body weight
Sleep deprivation is simply the situation or condition of suffering from lack of sleep. This is usually regarded as less than five or six hours of sleep each night. Those who suffer from sleep deprivation may find themselves having trouble losing weight, or even gaining weight as a result of their lack of sleep. This is because those who suffer from sleep deprivation often find themselves with increased hunger, since their hormones that control hunger may be altered. Continuously getting insufficient sleep at night can cause higher fasting blood sugar and reduced insulin sensitivity, requiring your body to produce more of it to process its glucose. According to Level Health, chronic sleep loss can also disrupt the balance of appetite and satiety signaling hormones and processes that influence your eating behaviors, resulting in cravings for and consumption of unhealthy foods, therefore causing weight gain. Also, numerous studies have been done to indicate that oversleeping can cause weight gain in adults.
Aside from hormone imbalances that may cause weight gain, sleep deprivation can also cause someone to overeat. This overeating is caused due to the fact that those who struggle with sleep deprivation are awake longer than the average person, so they have more time to indulge in unhealthy food choices. There have been countless studies done to show the relationship between sleep and weight fluctuations.
The lengthiest study to date was conducted by Nurse’ Health Study, which followed 68,000 middle aged American women for up to 16 years. The studies compared the relationship between women who slept seven hours a night to women that sleep five hours or less a night.
The study ultimately found that women who slept for five hours or less each night were 15 percent more likely to become obese over the course of the study.
Getting the right amount of sleep each night, between seven to nine hours for healthy adults, may actually help you lose weight. By maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, there will generally be a decrease in overall calorie intake and appetite. Getting enough sleep may also help you to make healthier food choices. A study featured in Healthline showed that sleep deprived participants had greater reward-related brain responses after viewing images of high calorie foods. Interestingly, they were also more likely to pay more for food than those who had more adequate sleep. This shows that after a poor night’s sleep, our food choices will generally be worse. Adequate sleep may also help improve metabolism, which can help you to lose weight.
Sleeping too much can actually cause weight fluctuations as well. If you are routinely sleeping for long periods of time (much more than the recommended seven to nine hours), you may find yourself skipping meals. Doing this might end up depriving your body of the essential nutrients and calories that it needs to function normally. Overtime oversleeping also impacts the way our bodies store fat, which can eventually lead to weight gain.
Relaxium Sleep
We know that in order to maintain a healthy weight, we have to have a regular sleep schedule in place. Relaxium Sleep is one way to ensure that you’re getting the best sleep possible. Relaxium Sleep is safe, effective, and non-habit forming sleep aid that’s available at an affordable price. With Relaxium Sleep, you can rest assured knowing that your days of counting sheep are long gone! It’s been designed to help regulate the natural sleep cycle, relax the body, and calm the mind! Relaxium Sleep is your one stop shop for a better night’s sleep. We can guarantee that you will fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated with Relaxium Sleep!
To restful and healthy days ahead.
The Relaxium Team
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Sources:
[1] Weight Loss and Sleep (sleepfoundation.org)
[3] The Relationship Between Sleep and Weight Loss (levelshealth.com)