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How Is Sleep Related to Weight Loss?

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The Weight Loss Solution That Requires No Action

For many people, just thinking about trying to lose weight makes them tired. This is because weight loss is typically associated with a lot of work. From hitting the gym to making necessary diet changes, a rewarding weight loss journey is no small feat. For this reason, many patients will be happy to find out that one major step towards weight loss requires no action at all – getting enough sleep.

Even though this only requires a lack of action, we understand that it is more difficult than it sounds. If it were easy, the amount of time the average American spends sleeping each night would not be on a steady decline. The National Sleep Foundation found that 45% of Americans report poor or insufficient sleep affecting their daily activities. In addition to weight gain, poor sleep can lead to the following issues:

-Memory issues

-Mood changes

-Weakened immunity

-Risk of diabetes

-Low sex drive

-Trouble with thinking and concentration

-High blood pressure

-Risk of heart disease

-Poor balance and coordination

Why Lack of Sleep Can Cause You to Gain Weight

When an individual does not get enough sleep, their body produces increased levels of a hunger hormone called ghrelin. At the same time, it does not produce enough of the “fullness” hormone called leptin. This combination can lead to overeating and eventually, weight gain. Another factor that connects sleep loss and weight gain is the fact that insufficient sleep is damaging to the fat cells, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Poor sleep can also decrease your resting metabolism. Your resting metabolic rate, or RMR, is the number of calories your body burns when you’re resting. One study conducted by the Department of Neuroendocrinology at the University of Lübeck in Germany examined 15 men who were kept awake for 24 hours. They found that their RMR was 5% lower than after a normal night’s rest, and their metabolic rate after eating was 20% lower.

The foods we eat when we are not sleeping enough can also play a role in weight gain. Research has shown that when people do not get enough sleep for five days in a row, they consume more carbohydrates and gain almost two pounds on average. On the other hand, when the individuals got enough sleep, their intake of carbohydrates and fats decreased.

So how much sleep is enough sleep? The National Sleep Foundation recommends that most healthy adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. Young children, babies, and teens need even more sleep because they are in the thick of their developmental stages.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle with Good Sleeping Patterns

At Soza Weight Loss, we create unique healthy living programs that help individuals achieve maximum wellness. If sleep is one of your main lifestyle concerns, we are happy to help you get back on track and towards total wellness. The right nutritional supplement or a simple lifestyle change can go a long way in helping you establish a healthy sleeping pattern. We work to create solutions that treat the whole body to help you find physical and mental rejuvenation. You are perfectly capable of achieving your health and wellness goals, but you won’t be able to arrive at your ideal destination if you don’t know which way to turn. Our team at Soza Weight Loss will point you in the right direction.

If you are ready to learn more about your body’s needs and achieve the weight loss you deserve, call us at (504) 475-9817 or contact us online.

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