Little Known Weight Loss Secrets: Part 7- Sleep

Sleep is probably the most overlooked component of a weight loss program. In efforts to lose weight the trainee is prudent to adopt an exercise program, eat better foods, and reduce calories – all the things that can be a struggle. It’s therefore ironic that sleep, being pleasurable to most people, is the last item on the list of the weight loss explorer. That is, if it’s on the list at all.

You snooze you lose. That’s right. Simply by getting enough sleep you will boost your chances of dropping weight and keeping it under control. How much sleep does it take? According to a study done at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Stanford University, the gold standard to strive for is 7.7 hours of sleep per night. However, I feel this number may be too low for some people. Athletes, children who are still growing, and those with stressful lives easily require 9 hours of sleep to be at their best.

So how does sleep make a difference in weight? There are likely many reasons for this. One reason the research has shown is the relationship between two hormones, ghrelin and leptin. A lack of sleep will increase levels of ghrelin, increasing your appetite beyond normal. A lack of sleep will also decrease the levels of leptin, a hunger satiating hormone. This combination is a set-up for cravings of energy-rich food.

An adequate amount of sleep is also necessary for proper cortisol rhythms. Cortisol is a stress hormone which should be elevated during the day (while you are awake). If you are not getting enough sleep this hormone is likely to be elevated far too often. Lights, which are usually turned on if we are not in bed sleeping, will elevate this hormone through stimulation of the eyes. Excessive cortisol release can affect proper release of other hormones in the body which can lead to weight gain.

The following points are things to keep in mind when trying to increase or improve sleep:

• Sleep from 10 p.m. to 6.a.m. This closely follows our cortisol/melatonin rhythms.

• Do not sacrifice sleep for exercise. Sleep is just as important for weight control and health as exercise. Besides, we need sleep to recover from exercise.

• If you frequently wake up in the middle of the night (around 2-3 a.m.), your blood sugar may be low. Eating a small, low glycemic meal with adequate protein shortly before bed may solve this problem.

• Reduce alcohol intake. Alcohol reduces melatonin (the sleepy time hormone) and disturbs sleep stages, causing you to feel tired the next day even though you feel you slept well.

• If you have trouble getting to sleep, supplements such as 5-HTP, tryptophan, and St. John’s Wort can all help. Tryptophan and 5-HTP convert to serotonin which converts to melatonin. If these things don’t help, you can try melatonin.

• A study from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute found that cell phone use right before bed creates sleep problems. “Those exposed to radiation took longer to enter the first of the deeper stages of sleep, and spent less time in the deepest one.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7199659.stm

Insomnia will affect more than 20 percent of us in a year. We all know sleep is important, just like drinking enough water. But many people choose to ignore the problem or go on sleep medications (which are addictive with side effects). The reader is encouraged to take an active approach to their health, and if you have problems with sleep, getting to the root cause for resolution is the best approach. Sleep is just too important to go without. And besides, a solid, good night’s sleep will make your day brighter, more productive, and happier!