Lose Weight By Sleeping
 Do
you fell that you need to lose weight? Well then don’t just
count calories. You might want to count sheep as well.
Recent studies have shown that sleep deprivation
disrupts a series of metabolism and hormonal processes. It causes
increased hunger and affects the body’s metabolism making it
difficult to lose and control weight.
Lack of sleep causes a hormone called cortisol,
which controls the appetite, to take excess calories and store them as
excess body fat. In addition, sleep loss interferes with carbohydrate
metabolism which may cause high blood glucose levels. The excess amount
of glucose encourages the overproduction of insulin, which may lead to
diabetes or even obesity.
Furthermore, sleep deprivation can promote weight gain by affecting our
behavior. People who lack sleep tended to crave sweets or high
carbohydrate, high fat food with low nutrient value. They tend to snack
on chips, cakes, pastries, burgers, fries, soft drinks, etc. Though the
short-term rise in blood sugar, brought on by these snacks, gives a
surge of energy, the extra calories are not needed by the body and must
be stored as body fat.
These calories are not so easily shed than taken. When they are sleep
deprived, people are often too tired to exercise or they work out less
intensely than usual. They commonly feel exhausted and lack the energy
and motivation to do even simple exercises. They rather go to sleep, or
eat, than go physical. In due time, the calories that are gained and
not easily burned are deposited in the body as fat.
Some people may require less hours of sleep to be in top condition
during the day; while others need more than 10 hours. But experts agree
that most people need at least eight hours of sleep each night to give
themselves enough energy to exercise, eat right and keep off those
unwanted pounds. Yet, according to a poll sponsored by the National
Sleep Foundation, only 30 percent of adults get eight or more hours of
sleep on weeknights; while 52 percent do on weekends. A third of adults
reportedly sleep no more than six-and-a-half hours nightly.
In fact, disruption in the sleeping patterns in the United States and
in the industrialized world is thought as one of the main reasons that
people are getting overweight. People should start making behavioral
and lifestyle changes now for a better, healthier tomorrow.
Diet and Sleep
The food you eat not only contributes to the quality of your weight and
general health, but also on how well you sleep. Some foods help you
sleep better. While others can make sleep difficult or even impossible.
Foods that improve sleep include fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole
grain breads and cereals, and mushrooms. Even spices such as dill, sage
and basil help with sleep problems.
Drinking milk before bedtime, a common method to aid sleep, is actually
effective. Milk actually contains tryptophan, which can be converted to
serotonin, the hormone that controls sleep. Honey, turkey, egg whites
and tuna also contain tryptophan, which are good night time snacks.
Alternatively, caffeine-rich food and beverages should be avoided right
before going to bed. This includes coffee,
tea, chocolate, cocoa, soft
drinks and some medications. Some foods that are rich in tyramine can
also affect sleep. Tyramine actually causes the release of a substance
that stimulates the brain keeping you awake. This is found in bacon,
cheese, sugar, ham or tomatoes.
Spicy foods, on the other hand, may cause gastrointestinal reflux or
heartburn. While sweet or greasy foods can also cause indigestion and
bloating. And though alcohol can make you sleepy, it actually upsets
sleep patterns later in the night resulting to frequent waking in the
night to urinate.
Even how much and when you eat affect sleep patterns. It is best to
keep the last meal of the day light. Eating too much or heavy meals
before sleeping may cause indigestion, heartburn and discomfort. It is
recommended to start with a hearty breakfast, the main meal of the day
around noon, and a light supper early in the evening.
You may also take vitamins and supplements to aid sleep. Calcium and
magnesium helps induce sleep. Calcium-rich foods include milk, cheese,
yogurt, ice cream, sardines, salmon, broccoli, tofu, egg, and
calcium-fortified food. Magnesium is found in nuts, almonds, cashews,
beans, and spinach. Vitamins B6 and B12 are often beneficial and used
in the treatment of insomnia. Some of the foods that contain Vitamin B6
are liver, meat, brown rice, fish, butter, wheat germ, whole grain
cereals, and soybeans. Foods rich in Vitamin B12 include some plant
milks, some soy products and some breakfast cereals.
Be careful on what foods you eat. It can directly affect the way you
sleep. By improving your eating habits, you will have a better chance
at a good night’s sleep.
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