How did you sleep last night? Did you wake up feeling rested or exhausted? Sleep is vital to how your body and mind function. And it’s also one of the best, most straightforward things you can do to boost your body’s ability to lose weight. Yes, a healthy diet and exercise are important, but without healthy sleeping habits, none of that really matters.
Quality sleep is such an important part of your overall health. Most experts recommend getting between seven and nine hours a night. But so few of us actually prioritize that! When’s the last time you didn’t feel like you were running on fumes? You’re exhausted because you aren’t getting enough sleep. That’s such an obvious thing to say. And yet, I still see clients refuse to change their schedules and their habits so that they can get the sleep they need.
How does sleep improve your health?
When you sleep, your body performs a number of repairing processes that affect every part of your body. Consistent, quality sleep is associated with…
- Improved mindset and mood. Chronic lack of sleep is connected to anxiety, depression, and irritability. A consistent sleep routine often resolves these symptoms. Quality stress can also help with stress management.
- Healthier body and immune system. When we sleep, our body produces growth hormones that help repair our tissues and cells, and cytokines that support our immune system.
- Cardiac health. When we sleep, our heart rate slows down and our blood pressure decreases. During sleep, our heart and vascular system are able to rest.
- Better mental function. Sleep affects memory, cognitive function, and brain plasticity. It also improves concentration, problem solving, and decision making.
- Better regulated blood sugar. Sleep impacts insulin which helps our body process glucose. When we don’t get enough sleep, our body’s insulin resistance increases and we end up with too much sugar in our bloodstream.
Quality sleep can help you lose weight!
One of the healthiest things you can do for yourself is improve your sleep. And it’s also one of the best ways you can support your body in losing weight. When you get enough quality sleep, your body is able to better process the food you’re giving it (especially sugar). It’ also able to produce more leptin (an appetite suppressor) and less ghrelin (an appetite stimulant).
When you combine that with your high-functioning decision-making skills and the fact that you don’t have to boost your energy level with caffeine and sugar, your body will naturally lose weight.
Quality is as important as quantity
Remember that seven hours of actual sleep. It’s not just about when you got into bed and when you got out, it’s about your actual sleep. That might mean that you need a better nighttime routine. When you’re firing on all cylinders all day, it can take some time to wind down to a place where you can get quality sleep.
Maybe that means turning off screens and blue lights for an hour before bed. Take a hot bath, cool down the temperature of your room, make sure it’s dark. Those small details can make a world of difference in how you relax and let yourself wind down. And those small details also show that you are taking care of yourself and prioritizing your health and comfort.
Your assignment tonight is to take some time to wind down and create a comfortable, distraction-free environment. And then sleep. If you have any questions, or want to have a real talk about your health,
schedule a time to talk with me! Let’s figure it out!
