The Importance of Sleep when Losing weight.

Did you know that getting a good night’s sleep has an impact on your weight loss journey?

Poor sleeping habits while dieting can have an impact on your body’s ability to lose weight and encourage overeating by increasing ghrelin and cortisol hormones which activate your hunger and appetite.

Poor sleep can lead to a number of issues that can affect your weight loss journey and the way your body responds to food, they include:

Decreases your self-control.

This can increase the brain’s reaction to food. Poor sleep has also been linked to increased intake of foods high in calories, fats, and carbs.

Increase in your appetite.

The less sleep you get, the higher your ghrelin levels increase (hunger hormone). This could lead to overeating and not adhering to your calorie allowance.

Decrease in motivation.

Sometimes it can be hard to motivate yourself to get to the gym or get moving. This is significantly impacted when you do not get sufficient sleep. Being well-rested will help your workout intensity and improve performance. 

Needless to say, sleep is important for hitting your fitness goals so the JRF team has put together some tips to help you to sleep better:

Get into a regular sleep schedule.

Major changes in your sleep habits or even trying to catch up on sleep after a week of late nights can trigger changes in your metabolism.

Be an early bird.

I know, it’s easier said than done but those with late bedtimes have a wider window of opportunity to overeat and consume more calories which leads to a higher risk for weight gain. Early birds may be more likely to maintain weight loss when compared to night owls.

Minimise stress.

Feeling stressed can have a massive impact on your sleep and could lead to poor sleep and weight gain in several ways, including eating to cope with negative emotions. Stress is a huge trigger for weight loss and it is important to reduce this as much as possible.

Reduce screen time.

Try to put down the electronic devices 30 minutes before you sleep. Your brain releases a chemical called “melatonin” to help you sleep while it’s dark, ways you can help your brain produce more melatonin than it’s releasing, you can dim the lights and turn off electronics, use an eye mask, or try some blackout curtains or shades.

By creating healthy sleeping habits you help maintain and lose body weight at a sustainable rate. 

We hope these tips will make it easier for you to get your 8 hours every night and smash your goals.