Sleep and Weight Loss
Monday, February 19, 2007
Sleep More, Weigh Less: The Link Between Sleep and Weight Loss
Everyday my parents would tell me to get up early and sleep earlier in the nights because I usually cannot wake up till I'm fully satisfied with the comfort I get from my bed and sleeps late because of the internet and games! (erm.. for example now.. kekeke! )
Friends who call me in the morning would usually get an annoying and frustrating unanswered dialtone! Sorry friends! Its right to blame me and my sleeping habits! Even if I answered the call too, I would be so drowsy to even speak clearly and logically to them.. And they would be like
' Did you just get up from bed? It's three in the afternoon already, do you know that? '
BUT !!
During these holidays I've been sleeping at odd hours.. Erm sleeping in the early mornings.. Gettin to see the sun rise every day !
Sleeping at 5 - 7 am's !
*aikS!*
I remembered a friend telling me that sleeping less can help us lose weight easily! Because we would be burning the calories by just being awake.. thinking .. and using some energy to move our bodies and keep our bodies warm in a chilled temperature room..
Sounds reasonable and logical to me! So I kinda agreed to it without reading further on the scientific or medical details of it ! =P
so desperate you might say..
*kekeke*
Been a fat and plumpy girl all my life ! Never once see myself slim de !
*laughs out loud*
I guess its never gonna happen.. I should be happy with the way I am liao!
Aiks. Overweight and Lazy..
Pathetic description!!
Anyway..
' lao lang ta pai du kong...kun che che ee.. ha teng pi pui pui ane.. bo lang ai '
Listened to that almost all my life, *haha!*
erm.. well.. here's something new to learn about !
Sleep moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it helps you to lose more weight !
*bleh!*
' wa kak lu kong.. lu kun che che ee.. ha teng pi san san sui sui .. tak lang ai lu ahhh ... wa pun ai !'
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Charlotte Grayson Mathis, MD
If you've been skipping out on snooze time to log more hours at the gym, you could be missing out on the easiest weight loss strategy ever -- sleep. Here's how changing your sleep habits can help you lose weight.
When Losing Sleep Leads to Gaining Weight
"There are over two dozen studies that suggest that people who sleep less tend to weigh more," says Sanjay Patel, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, Ohio. One such study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine,examined approximately 1,000 people, and found a link between weight and time spent in bed. On average, people who were overweight slept 16 minutes less per day than normal weight people -- a small, but significant difference. Recent research led by Patel followed 68,183 women, all part of the Nurses' Health Study, for 16 years. The results: Those who slept 5 hours or less a night were nearly a third more likely to gain 30 pounds or more than women who slept 7 hours per night.
There are several different ways losing sleep can thwart your weight loss efforts. Research from the University of Chicago suggests that sleep deprivation may lead to a change in how our bodies regulate appetite, leading us to crave more food. "You may start not only eating more, but eating unhealthy foods -- those high in fat and carbohydrates," says Patel. "Another possibility is that because people who are sleep-deprived feel more fatigued, they exercise less. Sleep deprivation can also change your basal metabolic rate, slowing down how many calories you burn just doing basic life-sustaining activities, like breathing and maintaining body temperature."
Sleep and weight loss: 12 Sleep Secrets That Can Help You Lose Weight
Don't skimp on hours. Most people need 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night, but the best way to tell if you're getting enough sleep is to see how you feel during the day, says Patel. Are you tired or sleepy in the afternoon or evening? And in the morning, are you ready to go, or does your body crave another hour in bed? Constant napping is a clear sign of sleep deprivation, he says. Once you've determined the hours you need, make sleep a priority by counting back from the time you get up in the morning to find out when to hit the sack, says Gerard T. Lombardo, MD, director of the Sleep Center at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, and co-author of Sleep to Save Your Life: The Complete Guide to Living Longer and Healthier Through Restorative Sleep.
Explore medical causes. The most common reason people feel sleepy is that they’re not getting enough sleep, Patel tells WebMD, but there could be a medical cause as well. There are over 75 different disorders that can disrupt sleep, says Lawrence J. Epstein, MD, instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, regional medical director for the Harvard-affiliated Sleep HealthCenters, and co-author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night's Sleep. The most common disorders are sleep apnea, a sleep and breathing problem; restless legs syndrome, where pain and discomfort disrupt sleep; and insomnia, which can include trouble getting to sleep initially, as well as waking up and having trouble getting back to sleep. Other potential sleep-disrupters include chronic pain from conditions like arthritis, and disorders that make it hard to breathe lying down, such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and heart failure. Talk to your physician if you suspect your fatigue has a medical cause.
Improve your sleep environment. It's not just the quantity of sleep that counts; it's also the quality, says Lombardo, so make your sleep environment a sanctuary. Block light with thick curtains or blackout shades, and muffle noise with ear plugs or a white noise machine. If seeing your alarm clock makes you stressed, turn it around or cover it up before you go to bed. If you're often awakened by late night phone calls, turn off your ringer or disconnect the phone.
Reserve the bedroom for bedtime. The demands of modern life make it easy -- even essential -- to multitask, with the result that many people do everything in bed except sleep. Resist the temptation to bring your laptop or cell phone into bed to check the internet or send text messages. Reserving your bedroom for sleep and sex will help your body associate the room with relaxation and release, as opposed to work or entertainment, Epstein tells WebMD.
Nurture close connections. Lonely days may lead to restless nights, University of Chicago researchers report. In a study of 89 students and 25 older adults, researchers found that, although lonely and non-lonely subjects spent about the same amount of time in bed, those who reported being lonely slept 5.8 hours on average, while non-lonely subjects slept 6.4 hours. A more recent study by the same authors found that lonely people slept less efficiently and spent more time lying awake in bed. If you are lonely, take steps to establish closer ties with family members, engage in activities that help you make new friends, or consider getting a pet.
Nix the nightcap. Alcohol is the No. 1 aid people use to help them fall asleep, Lombardo tells WebMD. And it works -- but only for half the night. As your body metabolizes the alcohol (at a rate of half a pint of beer or a glass of wine per hour), its sleep-inducing powers wear off. At that point, you'll be awakened -- often with a full bladder. Drinking too close to bedtime can also make sleep problems (like sleep apnea, snoring, and insomnia) and stomach problems (like acid reflux and GERD) worse, he says. And it won't help your weight loss efforts to consume extra calories right before going to sleep.
Get moving. Exercising for weight loss can have a double benefit -- it may help you sleep better too. In a Duke University study, researchers found that physically fit older men fell asleep in less than half the time it took sedentary men. They also woke up less often during the night and slept more efficiently -- that is, they spent more of their snooze time in deep, restorative sleep. One caveat: Exercising too close to bedtime can make it hard for you to nod off because it’s a stimulating activity, Epstein says.
Hold the caffeine. A morning cup of joe? No problem. But you may want to avoid the stuff before you hit the sack. Caffeine is a stimulant, temporarily increasing adrenaline production and blocking sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain. For the average non-smoking adult, caffeine's effects last about 5 to 7 hours, says Hyla Cass, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine, and author of 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health: A Woman's Take-Charge Program to Correct Imbalances, Reclaim Energy, and Restore Well-Being, so if you have trouble snoozing, skip the late-afternoon or evening brew. Smokers and children both metabolize caffeine more quickly, she says, but be extra alert if you're pregnant or on the pill -- women on the pill take up to 13 hours to metabolize caffeine, while pregnant women can take up to 18 to 20 hours! And don’t be fooled into thinking that coffee is the only culprit. Chocolate, tea, soda, and some painkillers and cough medications can contain enough caffeine to keep you up at night as well.
Disconnect. A Belgian study found that subjects who spent more time watching TV, playing computer games, and using the internet got less sleep and felt more fatigued. The advent of cable TV and the Internet made it hard to find time to sleep, says Patel. Now there are other things to do at midnight and 1 a.m. To counteract this effect, get into the habit of tuning out at the same time every night, saving the last half hour before bed for relaxing activities like light reading, stretching, or writing in a journal.
Keep your cool. For the best sleep possible, the National Sleep Foundation recommends a slightly cool room -- it matches the temperature drop that occurs inside our bodies while we sleep. You may want to experiment, though, as the optimal temperature varies from person to person, Epstein says.
Clear the decks. If stress or worry keeps your mind racing when you should be relaxing, take a sheet of paper and write down your thoughts, Epstein says. You'll be better able to deal with your problems after your mind and body have had time to rest. “Try to develop a pre-sleep routine that marks bedtime as the end of the day,” he says -- a warm bath, for example, or a relaxing stretching or meditation session.
Stay serene. If time is ticking and you're still awake, keep calm and relocate to another room. Lying in bed fretting about being awake will make your bedroom a stressful place, Epstein says. Do something relaxing like reading or listening to quiet music. (Whatever you do, don't turn on the computer!) Before you know it, you'll be stumbling back to bed, and slipping off to sleep -- bringing you one step closer to your weight loss goal.
Reviewed by Charlotte Mathis, MD.
Published January 2007.
Feel guilty and have the feeling to head straight to your bed now? You better ! Turn off your computers now and hit the sack !
*tee hees*!
