Welcome to my fitness and nutrition Blog. I’m glad you’re here. Together we can learn great things about staying healthy and happy and living our best life. I believe I had mentioned in a previous Blog that I was studying to get my health coach certification and begin adding that to my list of ways that I can help. Well that is going well and I hope to be finished soon, so in the mean time I will be adding a little bit of health related topics to the Blog. This one being one of them.
Sleep and Research
Everyone has heard about getting enough sleep to stay healthy, and get at least eight hours of sleep, and sleep is important in your weight loss journey, but how? And why? Well, what does the research tell us? According to a study that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that people who did not get enough sleep were late night snacking more, and were choosing snacks that were higher in carbs. Another study done at the University of Chicago found that people who got less than eight hours of sleep chose snacks that were twice as high in fats. Another study found that people who were deprived of sleep (less than eight hours) prompted them to eat larger portions of food during the day.
Sleep and the Brain
So let’s see what your brain does on lack of sleep. It’s no question that sleep deprivation make people make poor decisions. When you have sleepy brain it dulls the activity in the brain’s frontal lobe. This is the location of the brain that causes decision making and impulse control. So in other words you brain is drunk! In addition to that your brain’s “reward” center is at its highest and looking for something that feels good. Many people look at that second slice of cake! Oh yeah, she’s all mine! Mmmm this is so good! Until a few weeks later and you look at the scale and realize you just put on about 4-5 pounds!
Sleep and your metabolism
Most people need between 7-9 hours of sleep to function normally. Some might need more for example if you are pregnant, sick, recovering from a surgery or something like that. Sleep is like nutrition for the brain, too little and it will trigger your cortisol levels to spike. This particular stress hormone sends a signal to your body to conserve energy to have enough fuel for the hours you are awake. In other words, you’re more apt to hold on to the fat you have than you are to burn it off! According to WebMD,
“Sleep deprivation makes you “metabolically groggy,” University of Chicago researchers say. Within just 4 days of insufficient ZZZs, your body’s ability to process insulin — a hormone needed to change sugar, starches, and other food into energy — goes awry. Insulin sensitivity, the researchers found, dropped by more than 30%.” https://www.webmd.com/diet/sleep-and-weight-loss
Tips for a better nights’ sleep
Shut down all electronics at least 1 hour before you go to bed
Save your bedroom for sleep, not entertainment
Create a bedtime routine. The body works better on routines!
Stick to a schedule, same time going to bed and same time getting up, even on you off days and weekends.
Pay close attention to what you eat and drink prior to bedtime. Pay close attention to the time as well.
Turn out all the lights, a dark room helps the body release the natural sleep hormone-melatonin. I work nights so I have to have blackout curtains in my room so I can sleep during the day.
I hope this helps you get more sleep, have a routine, and let your body promote its natural sleep hormone to assist you. Be mindful to what you eat before bedtime and avoid screens before bed. As always, thanks again for reading my blog and I hope you got something out of it. If it helps just one person to get a better night’s sleep than it was worth it. If you need anything or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I will be more than happy to help.
Remember, You only get one body………….Make the change!
Take care,
Darren
Harmony Shift 