The Unusual Connection Between Sleep And Weight Gain

Sleep And Weight Gain

Multiple studies have shown that getting adequate, quality sleep may contribute to weight loss and that not getting enough sleep may contribute to weight gain.

Interestingly, eating less did not help offset the weight gain associated with lack of sleep, according to a large-scale, long-term study on sleep and weight gain. When you don’t get enough rest, your body will produce more cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can cause your body to have excess belly fat. Elevated cortisol levels are bad for your health and they can make getting fit more difficult.

The Connection Between Sleep And Weight Gain

Not getting enough rest can affect your hunger, causing you to eat more calories throughout the day. Eating more can be caused by increase hunger or it could be that you’re simply up more hours during the day. In either case, you consume more calories and risk stalling your weight loss or you could gain weight.

The various connections between sleep and weight gain are getting more attention these days. Research is showing that what you eat or don’t eat can, in fact, affect your sleep.

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Stimulants

Eating chocolate, sugar, refined grains or drinking caffeine during the day and into the evening can have a stimulative effect that goes well into the night. For some people, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives can disturb sleep. In addition, experts recommend that you also avoid the following foods, particularly in the evenings and/or right before bed:

• Alcohol: Ironically, alcohol can disrupt your sleep patterns and make for poor sleep quality. Its diuretic effect (particularly beer) can also disrupt sleep.
• Excessively salty foods: As the kidneys work to rid your body of the excess salt, you’ll probably find yourself getting up to go to the bathroom during the night.
• Tea, coffee, or cola:  The caffeine these drinks contain is not only a stimulant to your nervous system; it’s been said to stimulate the kidneys, too.
• Spicy and/or greasy, fried foods: These may cause heartburn.

What Should You Eat?

Just as there are some foods that can keep you from sleeping well, there are some that can help you sleep better. Below are some foods that may help you sleep better and why they can induce sleep.

• Magnesium-containing foods: These include almonds, seeds, black beans, salmon, dark leafy greens and most whole grains are helpful. Although if beans give you uncomfortable gas, they should probably be avoided. Magnesium is crucial to muscle and nerve function, particularly muscle relaxation.
• Whole grains and other complex carbohydrates may also promote sleep, as they are said to stimulate serotonin in the brain.
• Plain, low-fat yogurt with raw honey makes a good bedtime snack. Raw honey is actually purported to promote sleep and even weight loss while yogurt contains calcium, which is also important to muscle relaxation. Calcium also helps with melatonin production that regulates sleep and wakefulness in your body.
• Low-fat cheese can also help promote sleep. Whole grain pasta with a little Parmesan, for example, may be a good night-time meal.

11 Relaxation Techniques To Help You Sleep

If you’re struggling to get enough sleep and you constantly feel tired, this could make it very difficult to lose weight. Apart from the fact that your body releases the hormone cortisol when you don’t sleep (which increases weight gain), you’ll also have less energy to work out and could be more prone to craving junk food.

If you’re trying to become fitter or you are concerned about your health, fitness, and quality of life, it’s best to get enough quality sleep.  Download my free report, 11 Relaxation Techniques To Help You Sleep to help you get to sleep quicker and stay asleep so you wake up fully refreshed.