When it comes to the issue of losing weight, there are certain lifestyle habits that seem to have very significant effects despite the fact that a lot of people never get to know them. One of such lifestyle habits is the amount of sleep an individual gets per night. Interesting to say the least!
The fact is that a lot of people are simply not aware of many of the best and interestingly free ways of helping the body burn fat. This lack of awareness and the consequent non-application of some of these methods may be factors hindering a lot of people from achieving their weight loss goals. On the issue of sleep, several studies are now suggesting the need for anybody attempting to lose weight to start "counting sheep" and not just calories.
The lack of an adequate night sleep has been demonstrated to disrupt a number of metabolic and hormonal processes in the body. Sleep deprivation has been found to be capable of increasing hunger and also affecting the body's metabolism in ways that make it difficult to lose weight and keep it off.
When the body doesn't get sufficient sleep, we normally become easily fatigued and stressed which in turn affects our behaviors and more often than not causes us to engage in emotional or conditioned overeating of carbohydrate- and fat-rich foods.
What Happens During Sleep?
When you fall asleep, the body essentially shuts down to "rest". The concept of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) also referred to as Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) readily comes into perspective. Your BMR is the total amount of energy your body needs to carry out certain physiological functions such as maintaining your heart rate, blood circulation, respiration, and body temperature amongst other things while it is at rest. This energy accounts for about 60-80% of your total calorie consumption.
When you fall asleep, the body essentially shuts down to "rest". The concept of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) also referred to as Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) readily comes into perspective. Your BMR is the total amount of energy your body needs to carry out certain physiological functions such as maintaining your heart rate, blood circulation, respiration, and body temperature amongst other things while it is at rest. This energy accounts for about 60-80% of your total calorie consumption.
However, sleep can actually be said to be an active process considering the processes mentioned above coupled with the fact that the endocrine system secretes larger amounts of hormones such as the human growth hormone (HGH) during this period. The body is known to carry out most of its restorative work during your deep sleep (NREM - Non-Rapid Eye Movement) stages. These facts make sleep a very important component of your overall metabolism.
Considering the importance sleep plays on an individual's overall health and ability to lose weight, below are some helpful tips that can help improve your sleep.
Create a Relaxing Sleeping Environment
Ensure that your bedroom temperature is neither too hot nor too cold and should be ideally around 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It is equally best to sleep in a dark room as light inhibits melatonin secretion.
Ensure that your bedroom temperature is neither too hot nor too cold and should be ideally around 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It is equally best to sleep in a dark room as light inhibits melatonin secretion.
Avoid Big Meals Before Bedtime
Try to avoid eating big meals because digesting it might task your digestive system and may end up keeping you awake. Also, avoid eating refined or processed carbohydrates as well as spicy foods too close to your bedtime and it is generally better to avoid eating 3 hours before your bedtime.
Try to avoid eating big meals because digesting it might task your digestive system and may end up keeping you awake. Also, avoid eating refined or processed carbohydrates as well as spicy foods too close to your bedtime and it is generally better to avoid eating 3 hours before your bedtime.
Try Some Tryptophan-Rich Foods
Tryptophan is an amino acid precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin and possesses some sleep-inducing ability that can "magically" send you off to dreamland. Milk is noticeably rich in tryptophan and it can also be found in other foods such as poultry including turkey and eggs, lean meat, honey, oats, and beans.
Tryptophan is an amino acid precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin and possesses some sleep-inducing ability that can "magically" send you off to dreamland. Milk is noticeably rich in tryptophan and it can also be found in other foods such as poultry including turkey and eggs, lean meat, honey, oats, and beans.
Interestingly, carbohydrate-rich foods have been shown to affect brain serotonin levels due to the fact that they increase the amount of tryptophan in the brain. Some good late night snacks to get you snoozing off include a bowl of cereal and milk, bread and cheese, or yogurt and crackers.
Avoid Caffeine, Coffee, Alcohol and Other Stimulants
The use of any of these or any other stimulant before bedtime can seriously interfere with your sleep cycles. Although the use of alcohol may seem to make people fall asleep faster, it however causes frequent awakenings throughout the night thereby making you have a less restful sleep.
The use of any of these or any other stimulant before bedtime can seriously interfere with your sleep cycles. Although the use of alcohol may seem to make people fall asleep faster, it however causes frequent awakenings throughout the night thereby making you have a less restful sleep.
Exercise Regularly
Regular physical exercise or having very active movements throughout the course of your day can help burn off metabolic wastes in the muscles and cells which allows the body to relax more effectively thereby improving your overall ability to fall asleep and sleep better. Late afternoon exercise has been observed to serve better in helping individuals easily fall and stay asleep.
Regular physical exercise or having very active movements throughout the course of your day can help burn off metabolic wastes in the muscles and cells which allows the body to relax more effectively thereby improving your overall ability to fall asleep and sleep better. Late afternoon exercise has been observed to serve better in helping individuals easily fall and stay asleep.
Maintain a Regular Bedtime Routine
It is best to allow your body set its internal clock by routinely giving yourself some time to unwind as a way of signaling to your mind and body to get ready to sleep. You can try relaxing through deep breathing or by reading a book say 30 minutes before your actual bedtime. It is equally important to maintain both a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
It is best to allow your body set its internal clock by routinely giving yourself some time to unwind as a way of signaling to your mind and body to get ready to sleep. You can try relaxing through deep breathing or by reading a book say 30 minutes before your actual bedtime. It is equally important to maintain both a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
Also, you can actually get more useful and impartial best weight loss tips and aside from that find assessments of several of the best weight loss programs that will help you to get rid of that extra body fat once and for all by checking us out today!
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