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The Silent Weight Gain (January 28, 2010)
By Inshape | January 28, 2010
Everyone knows that sleep is vital to our existence. However, it’s often taken for granted, and the real importance of sleep is often overlooked. Sleep keeps the mind sharp and helps with learning and memory, it helps to maintain energy, and it keeps emotions in check (most of the time). But are you aware of how lack of sleep affects you?
You might just think getting less sleep makes you more irritable, less focused and just an overall mess. You might skip workouts and be less active because you’re tired. But the truth is, not getting enough sleep does a lot more damage to the body than one might think. Not getting the proper amount of sleep takes a toll on the body and contributes to a slew of health problems such as high blood pressure, a broken down immune system and even weight gain. Yes, weight gain! Is it a coincidence that over the past several years the obesity epidemic in our country has risen while the average amount of sleep has declined? We’ve become a sleep-deprived nation and we’re getting fatter and fatter as a result!
Research shows there is a link between the amount and quality of sleep you get and your weight. Chronic sleep deprivation disrupts the way the body metabolizes carbohydrates. The hormones that regulate hunger get altered, which causes an increase in the appetite and a greater craving for carbohydrate rich foods (comfort foods). Does this sound familiar? Have you ever had a terrible night’s sleep and the following day no matter what you ate you never felt fully satisfied? If you’ve never experienced this you must be getting adequate sleep!
A study at the University of Chicago found that subjects who slept only four hours a night for two consecutive nights had an 18% decrease in leptin, the hormone that lets our brain tell us we’re not hungry, and a 28% increase in ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger. If your sleep is continually interrupted or you just aren’t getting enough, you’ll slowly gain weight.
A Harvard Study found that 75% of us have sleeping difficulties at night. And, according to the National Institutes of Health:
- 1 in 5 Americans sleep less than 6 hours a night.
- About 60 million Americans a year have insomnia frequently or for extended periods of time.
- Half of all people over 65 have frequent sleeping problems.
- An estimated 40 million Americans have a chronic sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or narcolepsy.
What can you do to get a better night’s sleep?
- Eliminate caffeine in the afternoon and evening.
- Avoid a heavy meal and alcohol a few hours before going to bed.
- Avoid strenuous exercise a few hours before going to bed – BUT – exercise regularly every day.
- Clear your mind before hitting the hay. An overactive mind will disrupt sleep.
-Establish a bedtime routine (we do this for our babies and children and it seems to work). It helps balance the body’s internal clock!! So wind down with a bath or an easy read before turning out the lights. NO TV or Internet.
- Establish a wake/sleep pattern (try to get to bed around the same time each night and wake at the same time each morning).
- Minimize noise & light (don’t sleep with TV or radio on).
- Make sure the room temperature isn’t too hot or too cold (a good sleeping temperature is between 65-70 degrees).
So how much sleep do we need?
Everyone’s sleep needs vary, but in general most of us need about 8 hours of sleep a night to function at our peak. So work at getting to bed earlier and you’ll not only feel better but look better too.
Have a great week and if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please send us a note to info@inshapellc.com, call 212.362.1001, or visit our website at www.inshapellc.com.
Topics: In-Home Exercises (no or little equipment needed), Uncategorized |
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January 29th, 2010 at 9:59 am
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