How Correcting Sleep Patterns Can Help You Lose Weight?

Sleep and Weight Loss

Here’s an interesting story we’d like to tell today. There were two friends, one was a budding model and the other was a college-going girl. They decided to follow a healthy diet and work out plans to get into shape and look more attractive. However, their fitness levels started to differ after a few months when the model was more approving of late-night shoots and consequent binge eating.

You may well imagine the result.

Your sleeping and eating patterns form a major part of our well-being. The former, in particular, can affect our weight loss patterns in a subtler but certain way. No matter how hard you try to remain in shape, if you are not taking adequate sleep every night, you would lose most of the hard work that you had done to stay in shape. This would also hurt you, both physically and mentally.

What is sleep?

Sleep refers to a natural cycle of relaxation involving all the parts of a human or animal body. It consists of a state of altered consciousness in which a temporary intoxication takes place. This reduces sensory and muscular activities and also cuts down voluntary interactions with our environment.

Why is sleep important?

Our body works on the principle of exchange of energy and it does so through the cells in the body. We lose and gain several thousand cells every day, and sleep is the only way that helps our body run the process efficiently and prepare for the next day. It is like restarting a PC after reinstalling any software.

A session of deep sleep helps our body cells regenerate themselves and thus helps us regain energy. It also improves our immunity by reducing tiredness and other physical and mental issues. If we sleep healthily and regularly every day, we can count on a better weight management experience too.

How many hours of sleep do we need?

Usually, we need six to eight hours of undisturbed sleep at night. Anything less than this would lead to waking up lethargic and unfulfilled in the morning. This may change on a person-to-person basis, depending on his physical activity.

Do you lose weight when you sleep?

Yes, but the amount of weight loss is too insignificant. You may lose up to 50 calories in certain cases, though most of it is due to your kidneys working to filter toxins from your bloodstream. Thus, most of these calories are driven out in the form of urine.

You may note that the amount of the weight you “lose” would always be related to your health, fitness, and Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR. If you are ill, under stress, or are taking medications, all these parameters would be affected.

How are sleep apnea and weight loss connected?

Sleep apnea, sleeplessness, or insomnia are different names for experiencing a lack of sleep. If not treated promptly, it may develop into poor cycles of relaxation and can make you flabby or fatter, especially around your belly and thighs. This can also lead you to some other health issues like diabetes or thyroid.

How to lose weight naturally with correct sleep patterns?

It is important to understand that our metabolism process works as per our eating and sleeping habits. Any disturbance in even one of them leads the other to get disturbed too, and the consequence is usually seen in irregular energy levels and weight patterns.

Tip: Here’s how to set your metabolism process right every morning.

You can improve your sleep patterns in the following ways. They would also help you in shedding some extra pounds, lose some stress, and motivate you to do better. We also advise you that you make the following habits a part of your life and follow them regularly.

Control your cravings

The longer you stay awake, the more calories you consume. According to a study, several sleep-restricted participants (sleeping from 4 to 8 a.m.) gained more weight than their well-rested counterparts (sleeping from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m.). It was mostly because they consumed 550 calories from 11 p.m. to 4 p.m., a time that the other group spent in bed asleep.

Portion Control

A Swedish study conducted on the ideal portion size said that sleep does affect your portion size. It concluded that those sleeping less may consume more calories because of inappropriate portion size and reduced focus. If we sleep less, we also tend to eat sweet foods more often.

Workout to burn extra calories

Along with ensuring more energy for daily tasks, a good night's sleep also helps in torching calories even when you are not working out. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that people having normal sleep burned 5% more calories when at rest than their counterparts. Such individuals may burn 20% more calories after a meal in comparison to sleep-deprived people.

Also read: Fats And Calorie - How Much In A Day?

Be Disciplined

When you are short of sleep, you are likely to feel tired and weak. Since you are feeling lethargic, your activity levels (especially for your workouts) shall suffer too. Sleep is important to recharge your body for daily tasks and being unable to take naps makes it difficult to manage routine tasks effectively. It also worsens your digestion and causes fluctuations in your Body Mass Index.

Go to bed without stress or depression

Sleeping for eight hours every night may help you reduce obesity. Doctors advise that you should not go to bed feeling stressed, depressed, or angry. It is important to believe in one’s ability to set things right, and if you are one of those people who get rattled easily, you should try calming yourself with yoga.

Eat healthy foods and stay away from junk foods

It is a common saying that you should never go shopping when hungry, exhausted, or tired. A study highlights that sleep-deprived men bought nearly 1,300 more calories than well-rested men regardless of their hunger. This becomes worse when you eat junk foods or drink cola drinks.

How to sleep better naturally?

Here are some smart tips you can use to induce a deep state of relaxation and sleep through the night. It would help you recover faster from your physical and mental issues, and help you start the next day more positively. We also recommend that you consult a healthcare expert to know if you have any medical condition or if you are taking certain medications to reduce the bad effects of sleeplessness.

You might also want to consult a mental therapist to know if you are dealing with any kind of phobia, PTSD, or any other mental ailment that could be affecting you psychologically. Such impediments can make you restless and disrupt your sleep cycles. You might want to follow these tips to sleep naturally, faster, and better every night:

• Shut down your computer, cell phone, and TV at least an hour before you hit the bed.

• Save your bedroom for sleep and relaxation rather than work or entertainment.

• Create a bedtime ritual. It’s not the time to tackle big issues.

• Don’t drink coffee late at night.

• Stay away from smoking and or alcohol at night

• Spray some soothing fragrance in your bedroom.

• Take a warm bath, meditate, or read.

• Wear a branded fitness tracker that tracks sleep patterns.

• Stick to a schedule, waking up and retiring at the same time.

• Do not sleep for more than 30 minutes in the day

• Putting off the lights helps your body release the natural sleep hormone melatonin

If you are looking for ways to sleep instantly, well, it would take some time and practice to get going with it. Since you have been following certain habits all through your life, it would take your body some time to form a new habit and thus you should stay patient.

However, you may follow the above tips to induce a deep sleep for most people at a much faster rate.

Bonus Trick: Drink Green tea to cure insomnia and improved metabolism

Herbal Tea is an amazing beverage to keep you warm in winters and cool in summers. Green tea is caffeine-free and offers enhanced infection-fighting characteristics. You may drink it every day to get rid of nausea, colds, indigestion, seasonal infections, and sleep disorders. At the very least, switching to these herbal or green teas is always a welcome step to stay away from caffeine-laden drinks and alcohol.

It would be important to stay consistent with this habit. It is difficult to lose weight by just drinking tea in two weeks without proper fitness schedules and sleeping patterns. You might want to consult a nutritionist today to know about the time and dosage of this health drink that would suit you the best.

What are the best herbal teas for weight loss?

The range of herbal teas is vast as are their benefits. Let’s have a look at different types of teas that can help improve your health and quench your thirst at the same time. Persisting with them every day would help you shed some extra flab to stay resilient against infections and illnesses.

Green Tea

Green Tea is the most widely known type of herbal tea. It has a high concentration of an anti-aging plant chemical called EGCG that reduces the free radicals. Drinking this beverage also helps the body detox naturally. Green tea may be better than coffee in several aspects too.

Researchers examined the effect of green tea on patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia & found that most of the individuals’ lymph node sizes decreased by 50% or more. Drinking this healthy beverage is also linked to preventing deterioration of brain cells and helping you stay sharp.

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint Tea can also be made using fresh herbs from the garden. It reduces abdominal gas, bloating, and cures muscle spasms. It is one of the best teas to reduce tummy fat because it heats your body and makes it sweat, thus helping you lose weight faster. This tea should be avoided in case you have been facing indigestion or heartburn problems.

Oolong Tea

Several studies have shown that women who consumed oolong tea burned a larger amount of fat in comparison to those who didn’t. This tea plays an active role in activating enzymes that cut down fatty cells called triglycerides. It also contains niacin, a part of vitamin B that helps in detoxification of the body and the antioxidants prevent tooth decay.

Mate Tea

Mate tea is made from the leaves and twigs of a yerba mate plant. This tea tastes very similar to coffee. It has more than five times the antioxidants as compared to green tea. A good cup of mate tea can help with allergies, increased metabolism, and digestive disorders.

Echinacea Tea

Echinacea tea contains a natural compound that helps in fighting infections such as the common cold, cough, or fever. When had every day for a few months, this tea helps build enough resistance to prevent infections like the common cold and cough.

White Tea

White Tea is another health multitasker. Researchers have shown that it offers benefits to people with diabetes. A study highlighted that drinking white tea daily results in improved glucose tolerance and lowering LDL cholesterol. It is another optional tea you can drink to reduce your belly fat.

Ginger Tea

Ginger Tea acts as a digestive aid. It can be consumed to curb nausea, vomiting, or upset stomach due to motion sickness. To make fresh ginger tea, you can put a piece of ginger in water and let it boil on a stove for 10-12 mins. In basic ginger tea, you can also add fresh lemon juice and honey for a powerful germ-fighting combination against cold.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is made from flowers, & can be helpful for insomnia. This gentle calming and sedative tea is recommended in cases of cough and bronchitis when you have a cold or fever, or as a gargle for inflammation of the mouth. It also boosts digestion and must be consumed after meals.

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea has a high content of vitamin C as well as other minerals. It also contains some antioxidants that ward off diseases and signs of aging. This tea has also shown good results for common skin concerns, such as eczema or warts. It may not help you much with losing extra weight but can certainly help you stay a healthier life.

Benefits of green tea

As a popular health beverage, green tea offers the goodness of Mother Nature and helps in weight loss and bloating. It is also full of natural catechins and antioxidants that reduce wrinkles and crow’s feet, and also makes the skin shinier. It is advisable to drink it the first thing in the morning and not go for more than two cups in a day. You should also back it up with proper physical activity and exercise.

Avail on-Demand Professional Guidance to Get Rid of Sleeplessness Today!

It is important to note that there is a strong correlation between your lifestyle, physical activity, sleep patterns, hours of sitting every day, and weight. You would need to change all the factors to change one of them- and most people fail to appreciate this simple fact. A doctor and fitness expert may help you resolve a certain aspect but you would need to look at it in a holistic manner.

Your calorie expenditure is always affected by your metabolism rate. It is also the single biggest factor in controlling your height and weight profile (BMI). We recommend that you consult a healthcare professional and mental therapist online today to maximize your fitness standards. This would help you maintain your weight in a better way.