Believe it or not, there are sleeping habits that can help you lose weight. When it comes to shedding those extra pounds, sleep can be just as important as exercise and nutrition. Although these two are key to a successful weight loss, sleep can be decisive when we want to achieve our goal. If you want to know what the sleep habits that can be very useful to lose sleep are, take a look! Here we will tell you six changes to improve sleep and weight loss.
Why are sleep habits important when losing weight?
When it comes to losing weight, the effects of not getting enough sleep go beyond being a little tired or less productive. Inadequate sleep triggers metabolic and hormonal changes, which increase appetite and cravings and decrease insulin sensitivity. These effects are so important that lack of sleep is considered a risk factor for weight gain and obesity.
Also, lack of sleep can make healthy food choices even more difficult, as mental health, mood and thought patterns are affected as well.
6 sleep habits that can help you lose weight
Let’s see what you can do to make your nap longer and more relaxing. Here are six small changes to your sleeping habits to sleep better and support weight loss.
1. Limit caffeine after lunch
While a cup of coffee in the morning is good, it’s best to avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. Although that may not be enough to prevent caffeine-related sleep problems, it turns out that caffeine can remain in the body for 6 to 9 hours after consumption. For people sensitive to caffeine, this can make it difficult to sleep. Even though it may not seem to prevent you from falling asleep, having carry-over of the stimulant in your body can decrease the amount of deep sleep you get.
If you consume caffeine regularly, moderate consumption in the first half of the day will have little impact, but try to limit your intake starting in the early afternoon. Also, be wary of any medications or supplements you take in the evening that may contain caffeine.
2. Follow a diet rich in fibre
Eating foods high in fibre and less processed is key to losing weight, as well as to preventing most chronic diseases.
Although the research is inconclusive, two separate studies found that people who ate low-fibre diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates were much more likely to experience poor-quality sleep, compared to those who ate more fibre and less added sugar.
The reason is not fully understood, although some speculate that sleep may be interrupted by a drop in blood sugar, as added sugars and refined carbohydrate-rich foods trigger a larger and faster reaction in glucose and insulin.
Foods that are high in fibre and less processed such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are what sustainable weight loss programs focus on, as these foods are high in nutrients and lower in calories, added sugars and sodium.
If you are trying to lose weight, you are likely already focusing on these foods, so use the potential benefit of better sleep as added motivation to continue making smart food choices.
3. Do exercises
Exercise burns calories, but physical activity also helps you sleep better. Although the mechanism is not fully understood, research suggests that those who exercise regularly, regardless of the duration or type of activity, sleep more and get more of the deep, restful sleep that is essential for the body compared to those who are less active.
Burning calories and sleeping better is a double benefit when it comes to losing weight, so establish a regular workout schedule. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, but if you cannot go to the gym, even a short 10-minute walk or exercise can result in better sleep that night.
4. Get some sunlight
Making the effort to go outside several times a day and get some sunlight can help. The reason has to do with the body’s circadian rhythms, which orchestrate and monitor our inner clock and time.
Light and dark influence these rhythms, so incorporating brief bits of sunlight into your day can help remind your body that it’s time to be awake and alert. The goal is that as the day ends and gets darker, your circadian rhythms respond by helping your body relax and fall asleep more easily.
Taking a two- to three-minute walk sets the body’s rhythms to promote sleep later that night when it’s dark. If that’s not an option, open blinds or sit by a window and avoid sitting in the dark for extended periods during daylight hours.
5. Hydrate early in the day
Keeping the body hydrated is key to losing weight and, apparently, to getting enough sleep as well! A 2018 study found that people who slept six hours or less were much more likely to be inadequately hydrated compared to those who slept seven to nine hours. However, getting up multiple times at night to go to the bathroom could disrupt your overall sleep, so how do you hydrate to support weight loss and sleep without a full bladder waking you up at night?
Determine your daily water goal, spread those ounces throughout the day and emphasize getting most of it by mid-afternoon. To make it easier, you can take a bottle of water and set a goal of consuming 75 to 80 percent of your goal by 3 or 4 in the afternoon, this way you can get adequate hydration and at the same time give your body enough time to absorb and excrete it. You can still drink water and other fluids after that; just don’t use the late afternoon and evening to get most of your daily hydration.
6. Avoid that glass of wine
Losing weight is not about deprivation; all foods and drinks can fit into a healthy weight loss approach. However, there is more to know about that drink than just the calorie count.
Although alcohol is a sedative and can help you fall asleep initially, side effects, even from just one drink, can trigger less restful sleep a few hours later. In fact, a 2018 study suggests that a glass or two decreases your deep, restful sleep by 24 percent.
If you drink, enjoy a cocktail or two every now and then, but don’t make it a night-time habit. Although you may not feel the effects of one drink per night, sleep loss slowly builds up. Also, keep in mind that the more you consume, the amount of restful sleep decreases.
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