Poor sleep makes it difficult to lose weight. Three principles for improving sleep and losing weight

If you still find it difficult to lose weight by eating less and exercising more, you may need to examine whether you have developed bad habits in your life. For example, studies have shown that there is an important connection between sleep and weight. If you do not get enough sleep for a long time, it may disrupt the hormonal balance in your body, affect your endocrine system and cause disorders, leading to fat accumulation. It is recommended that if you want to lose weight successfully, you should start by improving your sleep quality.

Many studies have pointed out that poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep time may affect weight loss results. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

According to the book Sleep Away the Pound by Cherie Calbom, a well-known American nutritionist, lack of sleep can cause hormonal imbalance in the body, leading to a collapse in weight standards. The reason is endocrine disorders. Adrenaline secretes cortisol at the wrong time, accelerating fat accumulation, which is most likely to occur in the abdomen, thighs, and sides of the waist.

The University of Chicago also recently conducted a study on sleep and weight loss. They asked one group of participants to sleep 5.5 hours a day, and the other group to sleep 8.5 hours a day. They calculated the amount of snacks consumed on the second day. The results showed that the former group consumed an average of 221 calories more per person, and their bodies also craved junk food such as potato chips and cakes. These increased calories may turn into about 1 pound of fat after 2 weeks.

Researchers point out that poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep time may increase the level of a growth hormone peptide (ghrelin) in the body, which stimulates appetite; while the amount of laptin in the body that can suppress appetite through metabolism will decrease. The combination of the two results in a craving for more food.

Three principles for good sleep and slimming

In order to prevent poor sleep quality from ruining your weight loss plan, you can follow three principles on a daily basis:

1. Establish a regular sleep schedule:

It is best to get 7 hours of sleep every day. It is recommended to force yourself to go to bed 1 hour earlier during the week. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can push the sleep time back 1 to 2 hours. The most important thing is to adapt yourself to bedtime every day so that you can get 7 hours of sleep.

2. Create a good sleeping environment:

For example, take a bath or read 45 minutes before going to bed to relax your body. Remember to turn off the TV, computer, and all communication tools before going to bed, and set your phone to silent mode. It is best to turn off the lights as well, so that when your eyes feel the light, it will not send a waking signal to the brain, which will reduce the secretion of melatonin, which helps you sleep.

3. Understand your sleep time:

According to research, some women need at least 9 hours of sleep every night. You can observe whether you are still drowsy after sleeping for 7 hours. You can try to go to bed 15 minutes earlier until you find the sleep time that best suits your habits.