3 Ways Sleeping Better Can Help You Lose Weight
As funny as it may sound, the amount of sleep you get each night can be just as vital in losing weight as proper diet and exercise. Interestingly, growing evidence is demonstrating that lack of adequate sleep may be a significant factor for those who are struggling to lose weight. Courtesy of Signature Medicine, check out these reasons why getting enough zzz’s may be your key to better weight loss.
- Poor Sleep Can Stimulate Your Appetite
Many studies have indicated that people who are chronically sleep-deprived report having increased appetites. This effect is likely caused by the impact of sleep on two critical hunger-related hormones: leptin and ghrelin.
Leptin is a hormone that is released from fat cells that signals fullness to the brain and suppresses hunger, while ghrelin is a hormone released in the stomach that signals hunger. When you lose out on needed sleep, your body produces less leptin and more ghrelin, stimulating appetite and leaving you hungry. Additionally, the stress hormone cortisol is higher when you don’t get adequate sleep, which may increase appetite as well.
- Sleep Can Enhance Your Exercise
A lack of sleep can cause fatigue during the daytime, making you less motivated and less likely to engage in regular exercise. Additionally, a lack of sleep can cause you to wear out more quickly during physical activity.
On the bright side, catching up on your shut-eye can make you more alert, more energetic, and more likely to hit the gym.
- Sleep Prevents Insulin Resistance
Poor sleep can even cause your body’s cells to become insulin resistant. Insulin is a hormone that moves sugar from your bloodstream into the body’s cells to be used as energy. When your cells become insulin resistant, more sugar remains in your bloodstream, causing your body to produce more insulin to compensate.
In turn, the excess insulin can make you hungrier, telling the body to store more calories as fat and causing weight gain. Proper sleep can prevent your cells from becoming resistant to insulin to begin with and avoid that excess fat storage.
If you’re interested in medical weight loss, reach out to Signature Medicine today!
