Poor sleep quality affects weight loss speed

Successful weight loss requires not only that the body implement "expenditure is greater than income", that is, more exercise and controlled diet, but sleep also plays a key role. Doctors say that the quality and quantity of sleep will affect the speed of weight loss. Good quality and quantity of sleep can help increase the metabolic rate and speed up the excretion of waste accumulated in the body; poor quality or insufficient quantity can easily cause edema and increased fat synthesis, which is not only not conducive to weight loss, but may even cause weight gain.

The quality and quantity of sleep will affect the speed of weight loss. Good quality and quantity of sleep can help increase the metabolic rate and speed up the excretion of waste accumulated in the body. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Jiabei said that although it may seem like nothing is being done during sleep, in fact, many of the body’s repair functions are operating at this time. However, if one does not sleep well or does not sleep when he should, the repair function will be compromised, just like a computer that is often not turned off, which will run slower and slower over time.

The human body secretes leptin during sleep to help the body's metabolism. If you don't get enough sleep, leptin secretion will be inhibited and the production of ghrelin will increase. At this time, you will especially want to eat starch and sweets, increasing the risk of obesity. In addition, long-term lack of sleep can trigger chronic inflammatory responses in the body, leading to edema and increased fat synthesis, which can cause weight gain.

Foreign studies have also confirmed that people who sleep less than 5 hours are twice as likely to be obese as those who sleep 8 hours normally. However, Dr. Zhang Jiabei reminds us that the amount of sleep varies from person to person, and the quality of sleep and the time of sleep are more important. Some people still feel unfull no matter how long they sleep. This poor sleep quality is related to their work and rest and eating habits. From a Chinese perspective, common physical conditions include: often worrying, eating spicy food that causes excessive heart fire, eating too much starch that causes spleen deficiency, etc. It is recommended to regulate through Chinese medicine.

The most necessary time for sleep is from 11pm to 3am. Dr. Zhang Jiabei said that according to the view of qi circulation in traditional Chinese medicine, one should be in deep sleep during this period to allow a large amount of blood to enter the liver and gallbladder for detoxification and metabolism. If one does not sleep well at this time, detoxification and metabolism will not be good, and not only will one not be able to lose weight smoothly, but may even gain weight again.

Therefore, Dr. Zhang Jiabei reminds that especially those who are losing weight, they should not only implement a diet and exercise menu, but also a sleep menu in order to lose weight successfully.