I don’t know about you… but with the pressure of exams and classes really starting to kick in, I find myself getting less and less sleep every night. Sure every professor will tell you that managing your time and getting a good night’s sleep will help you perform better in class. But if that’s not reason enough for you, listen to this. Not getting enough sleep could be causing you to gain weight!
Scientists have speculated for a long time that there may be a link between poor sleep habits and obesity. However, recent studies have finally proven that not getting enough sleep could be part of the reason for those few extra pounds… or at least why eating healthy seems so hard. Here’s how it works. When you don’t get enough sleep, the hormones in your body that regulate your hunger level get confused. The hormone that suppresses your appetite when food is not needed drastically decreases, and the hormone that tells you to eat, eat, eat rises rapidly. Meaning, you feel starving even when you’re not. You may also crave more salty, starchy, and sweet foods than normal. Furthermore, without enough sleep, the body losses the ability to process insulin, similar to diabetes, and increases the production of cortisol, the hormone that leads to dreaded belly fat.
It’s important to remember that one small change does not make for a healthy lifestyle. Although good sleep habits may help you lose some weight, it’s not the “cure all.” To live a healthy life, it’s important to get adequate sleep, eat nutritiously, and incorporate exercise into your daily life. So, get a good night’s sleep tonight. You may wake up a little happier and a little healthier too.
4 comments:
From my own experience I believe that lack of sleep which is usually combined with stress causes me to definitely feel "fat" and contributes to my bad eating habits when I am tired (which actually makes me gain weight). I also crave chocolate and anything sweet and salty. This craving combined with the high calorie caffeinated beverages from Starbucks that I drink to stay awake probably do not help the "fat" feeling. I am glad to know that it's not just me who has this problem when I am tired. It's also interesting to know that there could be a scientific explanation for this.
I definitely agree with this post. Like you said, not getting enough sleep messes with your body on a hormonal level which causes you to possibly gain weight. In addition to this, when you aren't well rested, you will feel like you don't have the energy to exercise, and this will also lead to an unhealthy life style. And let's say you have dinner at 7. If you don't go to bed until 2 and wake up at 8, you're bound to add a late night meal in there between dinner and breakfast. Not only is this added calories, but you're not supposed to eat the few hours before you go to sleep...
Wow, I didn't know that a lack of sleep could do that to you. I guess it would make sense but I also think that when you sleep less you are using more energy to do other things. Which can lead to more eating while you're awake. I'm glad you posted this up because now I know how important it is to sleep more.
I would think that if the lack of sleep is related to stress, the stress would be more likely to make you lose weight, right? Not that anybody should pursue getting really stressed out as a weight-loss plan or anything, but it seems to me that with all that pressure you talk about from our exams and such, our mental breakdowns would lead to poor nutrition. Perhaps it's really a question of whether the stress or the sleeplessness is more prevalent in your life.
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