Most people don’t realize that lack of sleep can significantly impact their weight. When people stay awake for longer than necessary, they indulge into habits that can promote weight gain. In fact if you really pay attention, a lot of people rely on multiple cups of coffee during the day so that they don’t fall asleep. This lack of sleep throughout the day leads to fatigue later on, which more often than not makes people skip their workout, order takeaway, and suffer lack of sleep. Of course, this is not a big deal if this occurs a couple of times, but the problem is that almost one-third of Americans consistently don’t get adequate sleep. Experts concur that getting adequate sleep is just as crucial to your health, happiness, and weight as dieting and exercising. No matter how sophisticated your weight loss surgery, if you can’t manage your sleep well (or get enough of it), your weight loss results would be unsatisfactory in the long term. Worry not, in this blog, we will discuss the relationship between sleep and body weight. Let’s get started.
How does sleep affect your brain health?
Lack of sleep makes your brain lose focus and concentration making it more susceptible to poor decision-making. Sleep deprivation or poor sleep reduces activity in the frontal lobe of the brain, which controls impulses and decision-making. So it resembles brain activity in a slightly intoxicated person. You lack the mental clarity necessary to make wise decisions. The reward regions in your brain are activated when you are overtired and this results in you searching for pleasurable experiences. This is to say that while you might be able to control your cravings for comfort food when you’re well-rested, your brain can find it difficult to say no to the second piece of cake when you’re sleep-deprived. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, when people are sleep deprived, they are more prone to stay up late munching and choose high-carb foods. In a different University of Chicago study, participants who lacked adequate sleep selected snacks that were twice as fattening as those who slept at least eight hours.
Relation between sleep and weight loss
The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine states that getting less than the suggested 7 hours of sleep each night can increase your risk of negative health effects, some of which include:
- Weight gain
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- Depression
- Stroke
Another 2013 research found a link between inadequate sleep and a higher risk of weight gain and obesity. Further, a study in that same year discovered that healthy adults who slept for only 5 hours every night for 5 nights on an average gained 1.8 pounds. Now, that’s something to be worried about, isn’t it? But that’s not all. You may find yourself eating more than you need if the balance of your appetite hormones (ghrelin and leptin) is not right. By signaling your brain about hunger, ghrelin boosts appetite and encourages you to eat. In contrast, leptin suppresses hunger and tells the brain that it is full. Your body responds to the lack of sleep by producing more ghrelin and less leptin hormones. You may overeat as a result of this. In fact, a 2004 study revealed that those with shorter sleep durations had ghrelin levels that were roughly 14.9% greater than those with adequate sleep. It also showed that Leptin levels were 15.5 % lower in the group with less sleep.
Amount of sleep required for promoting healthy weight loss
Did you know that just approximately 35% of American people get the recommended 7 hours of sleep each night? CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that adults between the ages of 18 and 60 should try to get seven or more hours of sleep per night. For people aged 61 to 64, the recommendation is 7 to 9 hours of sleep. You may feel you are getting enough sleep, but if you aren’t sleeping for at least 7 hours every night most days of the week, you are not meeting the recommended sleep requirements for an adult. It will help cut down on habits promoting weight gain. Proper sleep is especially important after undergoing bariatric or weight loss surgery in DFW or anywhere else. During the post-surgery period, the body needs more rest than ever to recover from incisions and alterations in the digestive system. In this situation, the more sleep you can get, the better and faster you will be able to recover. But there are precautions related to sleep positions and prohibition on sleeping pills that must be followed properly post a weight loss surgery. So make sure to understand all the healthy changes you need to make post surgery with your bariatric weight loss surgery specialist beforehand.
Tips to Get Quality Sleep During Weight Loss
Your ability to fall asleep and have a sound sleep during the night can be improved by developing healthy sleep habits. To get you started, consider these suggestions:
- Make an effort to sleep in and wake up at roughly the same time every day.
- At least 60 minutes before going to bed, turn off all devices, including your phone, television, and computer.
- Take out time each night for calming activities like reading, having a bath, or listening to music.
- Set the thermostat to 65°F, the ideal sleep temperature, and dim the lights to create a peaceful and comforting sleeping environment.
- Avoid drinking alcohol, caffeine, and heavy, high-fat meals in the evening.
- Practice mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, and other relaxation techniques to lower your stress levels.
- Exercise and physical activity for at least 30 minutes each day.
- If altering your sleep patterns doesn’t work or you have questions about your sleep hygiene, consult your doctor.
Final word
Exercise and diet make up a relatively modest portion of the challenge that is weight loss. While it is important to undergo advanced bariatric weight loss surgery in DFW, Fort Worth, Texas to lose a significant amount of weight, all the reputable bariatric surgeons will inform you that without adequate rest, no matter how advanced DFW Bariatric Surgery you opt for, long-term results would be frustrating. Getting enough rest each night could help you achieve your weight loss goals. You can lose weight and keep it off by developing healthy sleep habits as mentioned in our blog. We believe that this article will help you develop a healthy sleep habit.