Sleep and weight management go side by side. We often prioritize our diet and exercise when it comes to losing weight. We are not saying that is not right. But there's one more factor that contributes equally to your weight loss quality sleep. Yes, you heard it right! Sleep is incredibly important if you want to lose a significant amount of weight and maintain your overall health. Much research has proven that sleep is the most crucial factor in losing weight.
Sadly, many, many people are not getting enough sleep, which is not good for their overall physical and mental health. In fact, according to a recent survey, about 35% of US adults are sleeping fewer than 7 hours most nights, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you're consistently sleeping less than 7 hours, you're experiencing the phase of short sleep.
How Much Weight Do You Lose When You Sleep 8 Hours?
Sleep and weight management go side by side. When people sleep for about 8 to 8.5 hours a day, they sweat around 200ml sweat per night. It means each drop is equivalent to approximately 200g of weight overnight. On hotter days, you tend to lose more weight than usual.
Sleep Moderates Your Appetite
Who knew our sleep and weight management are connected? When you get enough quality sleep in a day, it helps control of appetite, so you end up eating fewer calories in a day. People often tend to overeat when they're severely sleep-deprived. In fact, there have been studies conducted on this subject that people who are sleep-deprived have an increased appetite and a higher daily calorie intake. All this contributes to your weight gain.
There was another study that proved that people who do not sleep enough are found frequently hungry throughout the day. They crave large portion sizes in every meal and other cravings between the next meal. These hunger pangs are connected to your hormones, ghrelin, and leptin, which are caused by the lack of sleep.
The increase in food intake is likely caused partly by the effect of sleep on the hunger hormones ghrelin and leptin. When you don't get enough sleep, your body produces more ghrelin and less leptin, which makes you hungry and increases your appetite.
Sleep Deprivation Links to Higher BMI
When people visit our weight management clinic in Portland for meditation for weight loss and sleep, we know where the actual problem lies. Along with crafting a personalized diet plan and exercise routine, we also emphasize focusing on your sleep routine. We know how important quality and adequate sleep is, which is why you should never compromise on that. If people sleep fewer than 6–7 hours — they are usually linked directly to a higher body mass index (BMI) and weight gain.
One analysis of 20 studies, including 300,000 people, found a 41% of people are obese adults and children because they sleep less than 7 hours every day. Also, there was a recent survey among obese people that proved sleep to be significantly connected with greater waist circumference. It is an indication of increased belly fat.
We talk about the observation in percentage at weight loss Portland Oregon clinic; here is an overall evaluation taken in recent years:
Infancy: 40% increased risk
Early childhood: 57% increased risk
Middle childhood: 123% increased risk
Adolescence: 30% increased risk
A critical review has shown that short sleep durations increase obesity in children by 30-45%.
The way our hormones work is that when we are sleep-deprived, ghrelin signals our brain and stomach that it needs food. The ghrelin levels are usually higher in your body before eating because your stomach is empty. Leptin, on the other hand, is also another hormone connected to your fat cells. It suppresses hunger and signals fullness in the brain. Poor sleep can also negatively affect the nervous system, causing increased levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress.
Sleep Helps with Better Food Choices
Some people prefer going to bed-hungry weight loss, but that doesn't work well. You shouldn't stay hungry to lose weight but replace your unhealthy food choices with healthy ones. If you're not sleeping enough, your hormones affect the navigation of your brain and negatively affect its decision-making. This may make it harder to make healthy food choices and resist tempting foods. For example, one study found that sleep-deprived participants experienced greater brain responses after viewing images of high-calorie foods. Interestingly, they paid more for food than those who got enough sleep. People who are sleep-deprived console themselves with a bowl of ice cream as a reward, supposing it'll help setting weight loss goals.
Sleeping Early Prevents Late-Night Snacking
When you stay up past your bedtime, you often subconsciously indulge in late-night snacking, which eventually contributes to your weight gain. It's not like you're going to eat something super healthy at this hour. Hence, extra calories into your body. When you stay up late, you're pushing your eating window longer than you should. This works worse when you have had your dinner a few hours before, and soon you'll be hungry again. Suppose you had your last meal at 6:00 p.m. and you stay up until 1:00 a.m. every night; you're likely going to be hungry around 12ish. Ideally, try to limit food to 2-3 hours before bedtime as a sleep fat burner. However, if you are hungry, consider eating a small, high-protein snack such as Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
Potential Benefits for Your Metabolism
A lack of sleep is connected to a decrease in metabolism. Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories your body burns at rest. It is affected by many factors like:
age
weight
height
sex
muscle mass
Not only that, but your sleep routine also affects your RMR.
One study involving 47 participants examined how sleep restriction affects RMR. The experimental group (for example) slept normally for 2 nights and then had 4 hours of sleep restriction per night for 5 days. Eventually, they experience a night of "complementary" sleep, where they spend 12 hours in bed.
FAQs
Is Sleep Good for You to Lose Weight?
If you want to lose weight, you need to make sure you get enough sleep, experts say. Specifically, researchers reported that women who slept five hours or less a night were more likely to be overweight than women who slept seven hours a night.
How many pounds do you lose when you sleep?
People often wonder how many hours should I sleep to lose weight. Medically supervised weight loss during sleep is primarily attributed to factors like respiration, perspiration, and water loss. On average, an individual may lose about 1-2 pounds during a night's sleep due to these factors. However, it's crucial to note that this weight loss is largely temporary and is quickly replenished upon eating and drinking. Sustainable weight loss is achieved through a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and overall healthy lifestyle habits.
Does sleep affect weight management?
Good sleep is one of the keys to good health and may be the key to good health. There is growing evidence that people who sleep too little are at higher risk of weight gain and obesity than people who sleep seven to eight hours a night.
What is the best time to sleep to lose weight?
Sleep and weight management go side by side. Make it a habit to go to bed before 23:00, sleep until 7-8 in the morning, and wake up to do some activity, even on weekends. To sleep better on vacation, plan active activities, go on excursions, walk, and walk. This will help you burn energy and improve your health.
The Bottom Line
Losing weight doesn't happen overnight, and you don't even realize that some of your existing daily activities contribute to your sustainable weight loss goals. Your sleep, for example, is incredibly helpful for your weight loss and overall well-being.
We hope this blog helped you understand the role of sleep in your sustainable weight management. Remember, lack of sleep can literally sabotage your efforts. No matter how many diets and workouts you're following every day. When an individual who's trying to lose weight neglects the adequate amount of sleep daily, they often make poorer food choices due to increased hunger. Not only that, you're too tired and exhausted to follow your physical activity regime. Hence, you end up eating more calories than you should. In the end, people go for weight loss medication.