Strange as it may sound, sleep deprivation is closely related to weight gain, and the lack of adequate rest and sleep may actually make you put on weight. For instance, you are likely to get a cup of coffee to overcome the fatigue when you have had a sleepless night or you may just treat yourself to a doughnut for that quick energy boost. These tendencies go to show that sleeplessness can affect your eating habits. Incidentally it may create havoc with your waistline if you are not careful. If you continue to suffer from sleeplessness you may keep giving in to such temptations causing a lot of harm to your body.
Why does the lack of sleep influence weight gain?
Basically, when you are not getting enough rest or sleep, your energy level is low and you tend to choose unhealthy snacks like a bag of chips or candies as comfort foods. These will evidently help you fight the fatigue but when you make these unhealthy food choices along with a complete lack of exercise, you are gradually preparing yourself for obesity and a host of other health problems.
Many diet books have focused on the sleep-diet connection and some even suggest that it is indeed possible to lose a few pounds if you can catch a good night’s sleep daily. Alternately, Diet services like Nutrisystem can save you time to sleep as they deliver diet foods at your doorstep when you enroll with them for weight loss. You are freed from cooking your own diet meals as they supply ready to eat meals that are nutritionally intact. They also emphasize the importance of getting a sound sleep each night.
When you do not get enough sleep, the metabolism in the body malfunctions. This phenomenon is best understood if you know how the hormones ghrelin and leptin function. The first actually informs the body when it needs to eat. When you do not get adequate sleep, the body releases more ghrelin. Leptin tells the body when to stop eating and sleep deprivation lowers this hormone. This means that when there is low leptin and increased ghrelin release in the body, there is weight gain.
Sleep deprivation is found to be a major cause for unwanted calorie gain because you snack on unhealthy and fatty foods to up your energy levels. It is then natural to feel low and depressed which lowers your motivation to hit the gym. When you are awake for longer hours, you are also likely to feel bored and you may crave for high calorie foods to keep yourself emotionally satisfied.
How to get more sleep for a healthy weight:
When you are having trouble getting enough sleep, you should ideally avoid caffeine intake during the afternoon. You can also consider working out because exercise will improve sleep quality. Monitoring foods that you eat for dinner is a good idea because there are some unhealthy and calorie-rich foods like pizza which should ideally be avoided before bedtime. Big meals prior to bedtime are also not encouraged since they may lead to heartburn which disturbs your sleep.
The bottom line is that when you get enough rest, you feel relaxed and your spirits are high. With enough sleep, your body too gets the energy and motivation it needs to work out. When you sleep, the body loses more fats. Your skin improves and you can enjoy a glow that reflects your overall physical and mental wellbeing.
Jessica Robert is a fitness enthusiast who actively blogs on interesting diet and fitness related topics. You can read the most recent post of her here: http://thedietcircle.com/nutrisystem/.