Established 2005

Are you getting enough sleep?

Okay, so you have heard that it is best for your health to have at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Who has the time, really?

Well little did you know that the amount of sleep you get could be drastically affecting the amount of weight you can lose and gain?

Pay attention the next time you get a poor nights sleep. Do you find yourself reaching for sugary foods, snacks and food containing a lot of calories? Probably. Read more about research on sleep and weight loss. This is significant - don't ignore this - especially if you have been having trouble losing weight.

Sleep Your Way to Weight Loss?
By Mary Hiltonj

Sleep to Lose Weight

Personally, I never considered getting more sleep to help lose weight. More than likely, I would assume just the opposite. It just seems to be reasonable to think that the longer I am up and active, the more calories I burn and the more weight I lose. Right?

Not so, according to a study of 323 men and 417 women in Canada's Quebec province. Study participants who reported sleeping seven to eight hours per night were leaner than those who slept on five or six hours.

Biological Clock

Our bodies run on a biological clock. Every cell in our body is tuned into this clock, relying on it for vital processes such as hormone levels, blood sugar levels, metabolic processes, sodium/potassium levels and even immune functions and body temperature.

Out-of-Sync

Getting enough sleep by getting to bed and getting up at basically the same times day in and day out, even weekends, are critical to these body functions performing successfully. Examine your lifestyle. If you find it is out-of-sync with your biological clock, your health, overall well-being, and (believe it or not) your weight loss is affected. In fact, it suffers. According to statistics, losing sleep may lead to as much as 15 percent more food consumption than someone getting the proper amount of sleep. Without the proper amount of sleep, you may feel tired and reach for high-carbohydrate, high calorie foods that are likely to be high in sugar to give you a quick energy boost. This lifestyle pattern may result in the body mistaking the fatigue as a signal that a crisis is approaching so it begins to store fat.

In Sync

On the other hand, if you get a restful, deep sleep, energy levels are restored. Hormones are reset. It is important to examine your sleep habits and make changes, if necessary, to get in sync with your biological clock, especially if you skimp on sleep because you are burning both ends of a candle due to work, school or family demands. In some situations, sleep problems may be a sign of a medical problem that should be addressed.

Simple Things Make a Difference

For most of us, the lack of sleep is not all that complicated. It is simply a matter of choosing to do a few things differently and for the best. For example: get up at the same time everyday, including weekends; get as much light as possible during your waking hours; go to bed every night at the same time and train your mind to be still; turn off the lights, make the room dark as even a clock light can interfere with sleep and start unwinding at least an hour before going to bed. All of these simple things can make a big difference in your sleep.

Sleep in a Cooler Room

Other things that may make a difference is sleeping in a cooler room. Use a fan or air-conditioner, if necessary. A room that is too warm disrupts sleep and causes you to wake more. Consider your bed, making sure it is as comfortable as possible.

Getting Serious

If you are serious about losing weight, whether 10 pounds in 10 days, or changing your eating habits for a lifetime you may want to check this out: rel=nofollow http://www.weightlosscompass.com

This article brought to you by:

Mary Hilton

"The purpose of this article is to make you aware of the impact sleep may have on any efforts to lose weight. I suspect, most folks trying to lose weight, would not think about the effects of sleep in their weight-loss plan. My hope is that you find it helpful."

More help is available through my website at: http://www.weightlosscompass.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Sleep-Your-Way-to-Weight-Loss?&id=5022008] Sleep Your Way to Weight Loss?