We all know that sleep plays a key role in both health and beauty. Besides, affecting your skin and face appearance, sleep is also important for weight loss.
Not surprisingly, the quality of your sleep determines a few factors in weight loss. So, if you want to skip the gym and not feel guilty about it, we advise you to get some snooze.
The processes while you’re catching zzzs
Sleep is an important time for the body to restore itself by packing wastes for removal. One study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine established that inadequate sleep decreases fat cell response to insulin by a third, which in the long-term, can cause not only weight gain but also Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.
Plus, if your hormones are working properly, this is their prime time to regulate your body weight. When you’re not getting enough of sleep, cortisol (the stress hormone) takes charge and negatively impacts the renewal of fat, sugar, and protein in your body. Somatotropin (the growth hormone) is also responsible for metabolism. Lack of shut-eye – you guessed it – decreases the release of this hormone, thus decreasing your metabolism.
Want to maximize your weight loss while sleeping? Turn the heat down and let the cool air in. A new study shows that cooler temperatures (66 degrees Fahrenheit in this case) assist in brown fat growth. While it may seem contradictory, brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue (BAT), is a special kind of fat that uses the fat stored in your body and glucose to generate heat and prevent obesity. After just a month of sleeping at cooler temperatures, the study participants had nearly doubled the volumes of brown fat, which is a good thing for weight loss.
Increased appetite
The last thing you need when you’re trying to lose weight is increased appetite. However, lack of sleep does just that.
When you’re not resting enough, you have less energy. Your body turns to other sources of energy, which is food.
Plus, sleeping less leads to distracted eating, another study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham finds. So, not only are you hungrier, you’re consuming more food mindlessly.
(Psst… If you’re not sleeping, you’re probably examining the contents of your refrigerator, too.)
Sleep affects your perception of food
When you sleep enough, your brain functions better, so you have a better decision-making abilities. Your mental capacity is sharp, so you’re not eating mindlessly. You’re able to make better (food) choices and you are able to control your portions better. How is that for a weight-managing routine?
Besides, when you’re well-rested, you’re much more emotionally stable, which prevents you from emotional eating.
Sleep affects our body weight management on both the physiological level and the psychological level. When you had a restful night, you feel better about yourself and your life…and a positive outlook and self-confidence looks good on everyone.