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The link between sleep and weight
Sleep deprivation plays havoc with the hormones.
The hormone Ghrelin is responsible for hunger pangs while another hormone,
Leptin, tells your brain when it’s time to stop. When you don’t get enough
shut-eye, your Ghrelin levels increase and Leptin levels decrease. The result –
an increased craving for food and a feeling of not being satiated despite
eating more than you normally do!
Secondly, the growth hormone is secreted, for the most part, during the first round of sleep or the slow-wave sleep. This hormone plays a very important role in body weight as it controls the body’s proportion of muscle and fat. When you don’t get proper sleep, you secrete less of this hormone. In fact, just one week of sleep deprivation reduces the production of the growth hormone significantly. And low levels of growth hormone equal more fat. Also, as we age, the time we spend in deep sleep reduces, which translates to reduced growth hormone production. Add to that reduced hours of sleep and you significantly increase your chances of weight gain.
Also, a good restful sleep has the ability to de-stress the mind and body. Lack of sleep tends to cause physical stress. This leads to excessive production of the stress hormone Cortisol, which in turn stimulates the production of glucose in excess. And this little extra is then converted into fat.
Sleep deprivation puts your body in starvation mode
Sleep deprived people tend to opt for high calorie sweets, salty and starchy foods to snack on. That’s because sleep deprivation stimulates the cells to shout out for more food. Want to beat those hunger pangs? Go to bed!
Sleep deprivation and sluggishness go hand in hand
When you sleep less, you are low on energy and as a result you are less likely to be physically active. In fact, even small non-exercise related activities like standing instead of sitting or simply fidgeting are significantly reduced. As a result you burn fewer calories. Also when the body senses low energy levels, it reacts by hoarding calories as fat, thereby making weight loss difficult.
How many hours of sleep do I need?
If you are unsure how many hours you need, experiment, when you have the luxury to, by sleeping as much as you want for four nights in a row. Record how many hours you sleep on the fourth night. The hours of sleep you received that night will be the approximate number of hours you should try to get every night. That’s because by the fourth night your body is refreshed and your body clock will reach its natural rhythm.
Secondly, the growth hormone is secreted, for the most part, during the first round of sleep or the slow-wave sleep. This hormone plays a very important role in body weight as it controls the body’s proportion of muscle and fat. When you don’t get proper sleep, you secrete less of this hormone. In fact, just one week of sleep deprivation reduces the production of the growth hormone significantly. And low levels of growth hormone equal more fat. Also, as we age, the time we spend in deep sleep reduces, which translates to reduced growth hormone production. Add to that reduced hours of sleep and you significantly increase your chances of weight gain.
Also, a good restful sleep has the ability to de-stress the mind and body. Lack of sleep tends to cause physical stress. This leads to excessive production of the stress hormone Cortisol, which in turn stimulates the production of glucose in excess. And this little extra is then converted into fat.
Sleep deprivation puts your body in starvation mode
Sleep deprived people tend to opt for high calorie sweets, salty and starchy foods to snack on. That’s because sleep deprivation stimulates the cells to shout out for more food. Want to beat those hunger pangs? Go to bed!
Sleep deprivation and sluggishness go hand in hand
When you sleep less, you are low on energy and as a result you are less likely to be physically active. In fact, even small non-exercise related activities like standing instead of sitting or simply fidgeting are significantly reduced. As a result you burn fewer calories. Also when the body senses low energy levels, it reacts by hoarding calories as fat, thereby making weight loss difficult.
How many hours of sleep do I need?
If you are unsure how many hours you need, experiment, when you have the luxury to, by sleeping as much as you want for four nights in a row. Record how many hours you sleep on the fourth night. The hours of sleep you received that night will be the approximate number of hours you should try to get every night. That’s because by the fourth night your body is refreshed and your body clock will reach its natural rhythm.
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