Does Sleep Help You Lose Weight? Here’s Why Rest is Essential  

Did you know that getting enough sleep isn’t just great for your health, but it can also help with weight loss? Yep, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other experts, sleep plays a big role in keeping those extra pounds off. People who don’t get enough shut-eye are at a higher risk of becoming obese. In fact, a 2018 study showed that women who slept less than 5 hours a night were 32% more likely to be obese than those who got a solid 7 to 8 hours.

Keep reading to discover how better sleep can set you up for weight loss success!

The Science Behind Sleep and Weight Loss

Sleep is just one component of overall health, but scientists have discovered that people who get poor sleep or less sleep have higher levels of the hunger hormone –– ghrelin and lower levels of the hormone that helps us feel full –– leptin. Poor sleep can also increase the stress hormone cortisol. Finally, getting too little or poor sleep may even increase levels of growth factor hormones, encouraging the body to store more fat.

Metabolism and Rest: Why Quality Sleep Matters

Our bodies have a natural metabolic rate, also called the RHR (resting metabolic rate). Some studies have shown that the RHR of volunteers who were sleep-deprived for at least five days was lowered by up to 20%.

Sleep deprivation also affects how our bodies oxidize fat, lowering the body’s ability to use fat stores when we’re intentionally reducing the calories we eat. Getting less sleep can also significantly decrease muscle synthesis, which is how our bodies build muscle and recover from activity. Over time, poor-quality sleep can decrease our metabolic rate, reduce our ability to burn fat and reduce our ability to build muscle. Also, some studies show that restricting sleep can reduce glucose tolerance by as much as 40%, and insulin resistance by up to 24%.

How Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Weight Gain

Getting less than 7 to 8 hours of restful sleep isn’t just “nice to have” for weight loss –– it’s essential. Here are a few of the ways that not getting enough quality sleep can affect weight:

• Increased Appetite and Cravings: Too little sleep has been proven to increase the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and decrease the hormone that naturally lets you know you’ve eaten enough leptin. People who lack sufficient sleep don’t just have a bigger appetite the next day; they crave sugary, fatty foods instead of protein-rich foods.
• Reduced Physical Activity: Our bodies naturally cycle through stages of sleep, including light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, also known as dream sleep. Fewer of these stages or interruptions of these stages make people feel sluggish, less energetic, and hungrier. Being less active and hungrier almost guarantees more disrupted sleep, contributing to weight gain and metabolic illness.
• Emotional Eating and Stress Response: When we don’t get enough sleep night after night, our bodies release more of the long-term stress hormone cortisol, which has long been associated with weight gain.

Many people also turn to food to manage stress, in what’s called emotional eating. If we turn to food as emotional comfort, our bodies may come to crave sugary, fatty, and unhealthy foods instead of the nutritious foods we need.

The Benefits of Quality Sleep for Weight Management

Getting enough sleep will help us maintain the hormones that regulate how much we eat and when we feel full in balance. This is great news because if you’re not getting enough sleep, you may find that your cravings will be more balanced.

• Increased Energy Levels for Exercise: Reverse the vicious cycle of lack of sleep and low energy by improving your sleep quality and sleeping long enough. You’ll have more energy, and this will help you to introduce regular physical activity, further building how well you sleep and how well your body responds.
• Enhanced Muscle Recovery and Reduced Fatigue: Deep sleep helps us to repair our muscles from the wear and tear of the day. You’ll also feel less tired the next day, and over time, improve your fitness.
• Improved Mood and Motivation for Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Studies of sleep-deprived people show that they feel more frustrated, irritable, sad, and angry than people who get enough sleep.

Practical Tips to Improve Sleep Quality

By now, you probably want to get more sleep and better sleep. Here are some of the ways you can do it:

• Establish a Consistent Sleep Routine: Get in the habit of going to bed at the same time every night, and allow enough time to get the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
• Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment: Make sure your bed is comfortable, your room is cool (60-67 degrees F), and your bedroom is dark. Reduce noise and distractions.
• Limit Stimulants and Electronic Devices Before Bed: Don’t drink coffee or another beverage with a lot of caffeine before bed, and remove your phone or tablet from your bedroom.
• Practice Relaxation Techniques: Breathing exercises, including taking slow, deep breaths, can help you to get to sleep better and faster. You can also use visualization exercises and progressive muscle relaxation.
• Investigate Supplements That Can Help: There are several natural and holistic supplements that can improve sleep length and quality.

Integrating Sleep as Part of a Holistic Weight Loss Plan

Our hectic, busy lives encourage us to overlook the importance of a good night’s rest. Distractions like cell phones, social media, and games also take a toll.

Getting less sleep and lower-quality sleep is associated with weight gain, while those who get enough sleep every night tend to weigh less. There’s probably no easier way to increase how fast you’re losing weight and improve your mental, physical, and emotional well-being than getting a good night’s sleep.