Not Losing Weight? Get More Sleep!
We all know that Americans are getting bigger and the obesity rate has climbed to 30% for adults. Getting a healthy diet and more exercise are, of course, the first changes most people make to start losing weight. But did you know that getting an adequate amount of sleep is now regarded as equally essential for weight loss? Sleep experts have shown in study after study that adults lacking 7-9 hours of sleep daily are more at risk for weight gain and obesity. In addition, the lack of sleep makes weight loss all but impossible, even for those who are dieting and hitting the gym regularly.
The average adult requires 7-9 hours of sleep, but when the amount of sleep is consistently less than that, hormones that control our appetite are altered. Ghrelin is hormone that signals our brain that we’re hungry and we need to eat. Leptin is a hormone that tells us we’ve had enough to eat. Chronic sleep deprivation causes an increase in ghrelin and a decrease in leptin. The end result is feeling hungrier and eating more, even if we have actually had enough to eat!
Our fast paced lifestyle or economic need may be part of the reason why we are sleeping less these days. When you are trying to do more things or work more hours, sleep is one of the things you tend to give up. As a society we regard sleep as something we can readily dispose of in order to “get things done”.
So, if you are one of the many people not losing weight even though you are constantly dieting and exercising, take an honest look at your sleep habits. If you are surviving on six hours or less, maybe it’s time to rethink your strategy, and get to bed at an earlier time!
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