No Sleep, No Results

What is one of the largest factors that is keeping you from seeing the results that you want to see? Not sleeping enough!

Sleep loss and weight loss are arch enemies. You cannot have one as long as the other is present, making getting adequate and high quality rest a major “must” in order to achieve the results you desire.

Perhaps anxiety, poor work life balance, stressful life events or a lack in routine is what’s putting a wrench in getting precious sleep. Regardless of the “why,” there are more studies than ever exposing sleep loss as a silent killer of one’s metabolism.

The Science

Any amount of sleep loss (chronic or partial) can increase the risk of obesity and weight gain. Studies were conducted on adults and children which indicated that metabolic alterations including decreased glucose tolerance, increased cortisol, increased ghrelin, decreased leptin, increased hunger and appetite all result from sleep loss.

The Breakdown: the metabolic consequences of sleep loss  

Cortisol is a hormone related to stress that breaks down muscle tissue. Increases in this are not ideal for anyone, specifically women as it leads to stomach fat, difficulty in losing weight and taxing stress on other hormones that can easily lead to imbalances. Increased cortisol levels often manifests as difficulty sleeping through the night, feeling “wired” in the evenings and groggy in the mornings or very “worn down” by daily tasks.

Ghrelin is one of the hormones that when secreted, it makes us feel “hungry.”  Increases in ghrelin lead to overeating by reducing feelings of self control and signaling false hunger cues. This often feels like an increased appetite for no reason.

Leptin is another hormone related to hunger and fullness cues. It’s primary function is to regulate hunger, food intake and energy expenditure. If leptin is lacking, the sensation of fullness, satisfaction and knowing when to stop eating can disappear! In short, decreased leptin = increased cravings and frequent overeating. 

Prioritizing sleep is an enjoyable and easy step in increasing your progress and helping you see the results that you want to!