No Rest for the Weight-Loss Minded

Today’s tip is one that I struggle with the most. There are times I could sleep all day, then other times when I can’t sleep for days.  If you have similar issues, then this may be one factor that is halting your weight loss progress.

10. Sleep it off.  If you’re feeling sleepy at work, you may be tempted to reach for a cup of coffee and a doughnut for a quick shot of energy. Later you may skip the gym and pick up takeout on your way home as you are too tired to cook. When you finally find yourself back in your bed, you are too wound up to sleep. This is a vicious cycle.

Why is this you may ask? “When you have sleep deprivation and are running on low energy, you automatically go for a bag of potato chips or other comfort foods,” says Susan Zafarlotfi, PhD (clinical director of the Institute for Sleep and Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey).  These comfort action can ultimately result in unwanted pounds as poor food choices coupled with lack of exercise set the stage for obesity and further sleep loss.

But what exactly are we saying?  “It’s not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight, but if you are sleep-deprived, meaning that you are not getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly,” explains Michael Breus, PhD (clinical director of the sleep division for Arrowhead Health in Glendale, Arizona). A grown adult needs about 7.5 hours of quality sleep per night. “If you are getting this already, another half hour will not help you lose 10 pounds, but if you are a five-hour sleeper and start to sleep for seven hours a night, you will start dropping weight.”

http://www.sixstepstosleep.com/sleep-and-weight-loss/

Can’t wind down after working all day? Here are some tips from the experts to start.

1. Avoid any caffeine in the afternoon because it will keep you in the lighter stages of sleep at night.

2.  Watch what you eat before bedtime—no heavy, rich meals before bed. 

3. Evaluate your sleeping patterns with a sleep specialist. If you think you may have a sleeping condition, ask an expert and take part in a sleep study.