sleep and lose weight
More and more of us are burning the candle at both ends and getting much less sleep than 40 years ago, according to a study published in the medical journal Sleep. Lack of sleep will increase cortisol (a stress hormone) and alter glucose metabolism. The result is a craving for sugar and coffee; and there goes any hope of losing weight!
Sleep is often the last consideration for someone with a busy lifestyle. Work, kids, and partners mean you’re always running around with not enough time to get everything you wanted to do on any given day. On top of that, you need to have time to exercise to keep that body in shape, as well as time to prepare nutritious meals that help you lose weight, not forgetting to cook for the whole family.
Before you know it it’s midnight and you’re exhausted. You go to bed, close your eyes and the next thing you know your youngest has jumped into bed with you or the alarm goes off for you to get up and start all over again!
Despite all your good intentions to eat healthy the next day, you find yourself eating a candy bar or sports bar. You are hungry, tired and agile and anyway, you need to eat something since you will be going to the gym later. And what if it’s something unhealthy? Does this sound familiar?
If you don’t get enough sleep, you will feel like eating the next day. You’ll crave sugar, fat, and caffeine, and you won’t be able to think straight without it. No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to discipline yourself to eat healthier. This is not because you are not disciplined enough, but because of a hormonal imbalance caused by lack of sleep that results in a biochemical imbalance in your body.
Sleep is extremely important for weight loss and for those starting early, it is recommended to go to bed as close to 10:30 pm as possible. You don’t have to do this overnight. If you usually go to bed at midnight, plan to go to bed a half hour earlier for the next two weeks. Then, if possible, go to bed at 11:00 p.m. for the next two weeks, and so on.
If you find it difficult to fall asleep, here are some tips that may help:
1. Sleep in complete darkness. Even a small amount of light can disrupt your circadian rhythm (your biological clock that controls sleep and wakefulness, as well as body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone release).
2. If you have cold feet, wear socks to sleep.
3. Make sure your room temperature is not too high. You’ll sleep better in a cool (but not cold!) room.
4. Take a warm bath or shower before going to sleep. Some studies have shown that by raising your body temperature at night, it will drop at night, making it easier to sleep.
5. Go to the bathroom just before bed. Hopefully this will mean there’s less chance of you getting up in the middle of the night.
6. If you need to go to the bathroom at night, if you can safely do so without turning on any lights so as not to disrupt your circadian rhythm.
Nutrition:
1. Avoid any bedtime snack that contains sugar or grains (grains are wheat, barley, rye found in bread, crackers, all cakes and cookies).
2. Avoid all caffeinated products at least 4 hours before bed, ie coke, chocolate, tea, coffee, and certain sports bars.
3. Make sure your dinner is high in protein (chicken, fish, beef, lamb, eggs, etc.) as the breakdown of protein results in a hormone that helps you sleep.
4. Include beans and/or green leafy vegetables in your dinner, as they contain magnesium that helps you relax.
©2010 Get-ASixPack.com, All rights reserved.
