Sleep

I know we are not cats, but just like a napping feline, sleep is very important to weight loss. On the basic level if we don't get enough sleep, we won't have enough energy to exercise.

Dr. Eve Van Cauter investigated what would happen to the body if it was deprived of sleep. Dr. Van Cauter had the test subjects sleep less and less during the week. She found that even with one week's lack of sleep the body produced negative effects when it came to weight loss.

There is a hormone that is secreted during the first few hours of deep sleep. This hormone helps produce muscle in the body. When we don't get enough sleep this hormone is unable to balance itself and causes the body to produce more fat than muscle.

Then there is our good old friend Leptin. Leptin is the hormone that causes our body to tell us when we are full or hungry. When the body isn't producing the right levels of leptin, the body starts to crave carbohydrates even though you've eaten enough calories for the body.

So how can we make sure that our body gets enough sleep that we need? How much does the body need? For most adults, 7 to 8 hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as 5 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day. The best thing to do is listen to your body between noon and 4pm. If your yawning and tired during these hours, then your probably not getting enough sleep and need to hit the hay earlier.

So you have found out that your body needs more sleep. What can you do to help put yourself to sleep?

Avoid napping during the day. Limit or omit the use of alcohol and caffeine and avoid smoking, especially in the late afternoon and evening hours.

Exercise regularly, but not within three hours of bedtime. The body is reved up burning calories and it will be difficult to fall asleep.

Avoid mental stimulation just before going to sleep.

Avoid using your bed for reading or watching TV.

Try not to go to bed hungry, or within three hours of eating a full meal. Eating foods high in protein close to bedtime can keep you awake because your body thinks it should get active.

Eat a healthy diet

Make sure you exercise for a minimum of 20 minutes three or four times a week.
Take a warm bath just before going to bed to raise your body temperature.

If none of these work, talk to your doctor about taking a low dose sleeping aid. Get all the facts before you start taking sleeping aids because many have serious side effects.