How much sleep you get, or don’t get can have a profound effect on your weight loss success or lack there of.
If your body is tired, it wants to rest and/or get more fuel to re-establish its energy levels. Too often, we choose to feed the problem rather than get the rest we need.
One perverse result is that the very fact that we are eating actually further drains our systems, as we now have to digest that food. The digestive process is one of the body’s big energy users, and while it means we are burning some of those added calories, we are also adding stress to the system.
If your lifestyle leads you to be chronically tired due to work, family or other considerations the result is a decrease in your body’s overall efficiency and a tendency for your system to store more fat resulting in long term gradual weight gain.
Simply getting yourself to sleep a little earlier each night may be enough to give yourself the energy boost you need to cope with your day, without the need for that extra snack or evening binge that can occur when you get overtired.
If there really is no way for you to cram more sleep into your day, the best secondary option is to increase your water intake. This is not the optimal approach, but it will help you at least feel fuller. That in turn will send your body a satiated signal that will help reduce some of the effects of fatigue.
People who work unusual hours, such as shift workers and those whose hours vary on a regular basis have a particularly difficult time as this tends to disrupt their natural rhythms, and eating patterns. As a result they often have more difficulty controlling their weight. If you are in such a situation, you need to pay particular attention to what you do eat, and then try to establish as much of a routine as possible.
Sleep deprivation, whether for a day or two at a time, or on an ongoing basis can sabotage your diet. Now it is possible to go to the other extreme and spend all day in bed. In that case, the implied lack of activity will have similar negative effects.
Your weight is just a symptom of your lifestyle. And your life depends upon a healthy balance of intake and output through a sensible diet and an active lifestyle. It also requires a significant amount of rest and sleep. As such a good nights sleep is one of the key ingredients to a healthy long term weight management program.
Personally, I usually can get a good nights sleep. It’s one of the reasons I like to work from home. However, I have my bad nights. Last night was one of them as I confess in my journal.
If you are having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep you really should discuss this with your doctor. It’s a serious issue. If you are 50 plus pounds overweight, you may well also be suffering from Sleep Apnea. This is serious stuff, even though you may be totally unaware of it.
If on the other hand you occasionally have a sleep issue, you may be able to get by with Natural Sleep Aids
I can’t personally recommend any, but would welcome your comments if you have a trick or two that works for you.
[tags]sleep, sleep apnea, sleep deprivation, lose 50 pounds[/tags]
Bestselling Diet Bars on Amazon
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
Prices are accurate as of May 16, 2012 5:24 pm. Product prices and available are subject to change. Any price and availablility information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of any products.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon Services LLC. This content is provided 'AS IS' and is subject to change or removal at any time.
