Did you know that the record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes! I don’t know about you, but that does not sound appealing to me at all. At the end of a long day, crawling into my bed and getting a great night of sleep is the best feeling in the world!
It is recommended that adults get at least 7 ½ hours of quality sleep per night. Sleep is essential for life and necessary to allow the brain and body to heal and repair from the daily stresses of life. But, did you know that sleep is also associated with weight loss? If you’re currently dieting and exercising but getting less than 7 ½ hours of quality sleep, logging in more hours at night may help you shed a few of those unwanted pounds!
There is a lot of current research linking individuals who are sleep deprived, not getting enough sleep or getting poor quality of sleep, to being overweight or obese. However, this does not necessarily mean that the more you sleep, the more you lose.
If you are sleep-deprived, your metabolism will not function properly. This puts your hormones into a flux and allows for cravings of sugar or high-fat foods, or overeating resulting in weight gain. Less time asleep also equals more time for mindless snacking which adds even more excess calories. It also means at the end of the day you’re more tired and more likely to miss your workout.
If you think you may have a sleeping disorder, talk with your doctor so they can help to identify and get to the root of the underlying problem. Start making sleep a priority in your life! Not only will you feel more rejuvenated and ready to go, but it could also help you lose a couple of pounds!
Feel free to leave questions or comments. I’m always happy to respond!