How Sleep Affects Weight Loss Success

If you’re trying to lose weight on the HCG Diet, the amount of sleep you get is extremely important for amazing weight loss success. For overall health, you should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night.

• Poor sleep is a major risk factor for weight gain and obesity. Inadequate sleep has been linked to a higher body mass index (BMI) and weight gain. Poor sleep can cause weight gain, which, in turn, can cause sleep quality to decrease even further.
• Poor sleep can increase your appetite. The hormones, leptin, ghrelin and cortisol can be affected by sleep deprivation. If you don’t get at least six hours of sleep, the hormone, leptin, is reduced and the hormone ghrelin is stimulated. Ghrelin stimulates hunger, increases fat storage and reduces your metabolic rate. Leptin, a hormone that is produced in your fat cells, causes your stomach to feel full. The stress hormone, cortisol, rises without proper sleep, causing you to want to eat more.
• Sleep helps you fight cravings and make healthy food choices. Sleep deprivation will dull the activity in the frontal lobe of the brain which is where your decision-making and self-control lies.
• Poor sleep can increase your calorie intake. With increased appetite and hunger from not getting enough sleep and restricted calorie intake while dieting, it makes it harder for you to stick to the low-calorie diet without cheating.
• Poor sleep can make it harder for you to lose. Studies have shown that adults gained an average of 1.8 pounds when they slept only 5 hours of sleep per night for five nights. So, if you are dieting but not getting enough sleep, your body will probably be struggling to lose.
• Exercise can backfire if you don’t get enough zzzs. Exercise can help you burn serious calories, but it also can actually hinder fat loss by increasing the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, if you are not getting at least seven hours of sleep. Exercise can help boost your metabolism, however, you want to make sure you get enough sleep and stick to less intense workouts while dieting.

Here are some helpful tips to help you get the proper rest that you need:

1. Avoid all electronics an hour or two before bedtime.
2. Try a relaxing activity before bed, such as reading or taking a warm bath.
3. Decrease caffeine consumption by trying not to drink caffeinated beverages after lunch.
4. Try to stick with the same bedtime schedule every day of the week including weekends.