Your 2016 resolution to become fit and trim should include a resolution to get quality sleep. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: sleep affects our efforts to lose weight or to maintain our ideal weight. Let’s review…
A lack of sleep can lead to poor decision-making about your food and activity choices. Not only do you tend to eat high-calorie comfort foods, but you also tend to choose to do nothing to burn the calories they contain.
Your hormones are affected by a lack of sleep. The body makes more ghrelin, a hormone that indicates hunger, and less leptin, a hormone that indicates fullness. The brain is “tricked” to put your body in hungry mode, even when it isn’t time to eat. The body also increases its production of cortisol, a stress hormone, and insulin, a hormone that changes sugar, starches, and other foods into energy. Again, the brain is “tricked”. In this case, your body holds on to fat when it doesn’t need to.
Now is the time to resolve to get seven to nine hours of quality sleep daily. Exercise at least three hours prior to bedtime in order to allow the body to cool down, reduce or eliminate your intake of caffeine, and opt for early rather than late evening meals and snacks. Practicing proper sleep hygiene, especially the aspects that relate to fitness and food, will help you in your efforts to achieve your fitness and weight loss resolutions.
