Lose Weight While You Sleep – research has found there may actually be some truth in this!
– So how much sleep is enough? Some sleep experts say 7-8 hours while others argue that it’s not the number that’s important but the quality of sleep and how you feel when you wake up.
– Not only can lack of sleep effect hormones but it can result in lack of energy, lack of exercise, lack of motivation and poor food choices which all contribute to weight gain.
– Researchers believe the restricted sleep could influence the hormone ghrelin which plays a role in hunger and appetite. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach, an increase in ghrelin causes an increase in hunger. Irregular sleeping patterns can wreak havoc on ghrelin levels. Researchers found that ghrelin levels were 15% higher in people who had 5 hours sleep compared to those who got 8.
– Leptin is another important hormone in appetite regulation. High levels of this hormone let you know that you are full and have had enough to eat. People with a lack of sleep have been found to have increased ghrelin and decreased leptin which equals a lot of hunger and cravings for energy-dense, high carbohydrate foods. It only takes a few days of restricted sleep for these hormones to be disrupted.
– In addition to good nutrition and exercise make sure you factor in regular good quality sleep to lose or maintain a healthy weight.
