Sleep and Weight Loss

by Active Health, on October 3, 2017

Adequate sleep improves your confidence and helps you lose weight. Sleep and Weight Loss

Losing weight requires more than just eating better and being more active.

You have to be determined, disciplined, and patient. You must have self-confidence and believe in yourself. And most importantly, you have to consistently make healthy decisions in the face of aggressive food marketing, social pressure, and your own ingrained habits.

Sleeping a minimum of 7 hours helps you make better decisions, and healthier choices lead to weight loss.

It also has physical benefits for weight loss. Sleep deprivation is a significant predictor of obesity. Poor sleep quality and quantity leads to higher levels of stress hormones like cortisol, blood sugar, and insulin - all of which increase hunger levels and overall appetite.

So when it comes to weight loss, being rested is a huge advantage.

MORE ABOUT DAILY HABIT #2: I WILL WAKE UP AT A CONSISTENT TIME EVERY DAY (WITHIN 1 HOUR)

Waking up at the same time each day is important for our sleep cycle - the time we wake determines when we get sleepy at night. Disruptions greater than one hour in our sleep routine (such as sleeping in on weekends) can cause social jet-lag: a low energy feeling like we get from changing time zones. Over time, disruptions to our sleep cycle increase our risk of diabetes and heart disease.

How do I build this habit?

Determine the average wake-up time that best suits your work-week
Commit to waking up at this time (or within 1 hour of it) everyday - this includes the weekend too!

How do I measure my success?

Monitor: Make a note in the morning if you had more than a 1-hour difference in wake time compared to your normal wake time. But keep in mind that better beats perfect when it comes to healthy habits!

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