Want to Lose Weight Faster? Sleep Smarter!

“Want to lose weight, ah? Easy! Just eat less and exercise more, lor. It’s not so complicated!”

Is that necessarily true? You’ve been eating in a calorie deficit, nourishing your body with healthy foods, and cutting out junk food and alcohol. You’re religiously going to the gym 4-5 times a week and hitting your 10,000-step count daily without fail. However, the number on the scale stubbornly refuses to budge.

“What am I doing wrong?!”

Is the crux of dropping a few kilograms purely based on the concept of “calories in versus calories out”? Eating less and moving more?

It could be clearer-cut. Although nutrition and fitness are crucial factors in achieving weight loss goals, other components come into play.

Did you know? Snoozing your alarm may not be a bad thing. Sleep is a super hack and an essential tool in achieving our weight loss goals.

How Many Hours Of Sleep Do We Need? 

As adults, we need an average of 7-9 hours of sleep a night. 

What is Considered Good Quality Sleep?

One obvious tell-tale sign of deliciously good sleep is one where you wake up feeling energised and fresh, ready to start the day. 

Counting Sheep 

A recent study done by the Asian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences found that a whopping 9 out of 10 Malaysians struggle with insomnia and/or have sleep issues. Another study carried out in 2021 by two local universities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and University Malaya (UM), found that 54% of Malaysians do not get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. 

With sleep being crucial to weight loss, let us unpack how sleepless nights can be detrimental to achieving your weight loss goals.

How Does Getting Enough Sleep Affect Weight Loss?

1.We Make Better Food Choices

Decision Making

Did you know that a lack of sleep can significantly impact your decision-making? This is also why fighting off sinful, yummy indulgences late at night is harder than in the morning.

The reward centres of our brains are more stimulated when we are sleep-deprived, making it harder to maintain self-control.

Reduced Unhealthy Cravings

Studies have found that cravings for foods high in sugar and fat intensify when we are tired. We often succumb to foods like chocolate, sweets, ice cream, deep-fried foods—you name it.

These foods are often high in calories. Eating in a calorie surplus will hinder us from losing weight.

2. A Lack of Sleep Increases your Appetite

Studies have found that lack of sleep contributes to an increased appetite! We get hungrier. 

A study found that participants with a significant lack of sleep consumed an average of 385 calories per day compared to their counterparts who clocked in sufficient hours of sleep.

Why is that so? 

Hunger is controlled by two hormones: ghrelin and leptin. That grumble in your tummy? That ravenous hunger? You have ghrelin to thank for that. 

Do you feel full after eating? That is our friend leptin faithfully doing its job. 

Getting insufficient sleep will cause ghrelin levels to increase and leptin levels to decrease, making you feel hungrier. We tend to eat more when we are tired, thus consuming greater portion sizes and more calories.

3.Reduces Cortisol Levels

Cortisol: The Stress Hormone 

Cortisol is a stress hormone created by the adrenal glands located above your kidneys. It is secreted during times of stress, putting your body in ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. 

Cortisol halts bodily functions, slows metabolism, and prepares the body for potential danger. It causes your heart to beat faster and increases your energy levels.

Cortisol and Sleep

Cortisol is extremely intertwined with sleep. It is secreted according to the circadian rhythm, often 30-40 minutes before waking. 

A persistent elevation of cortisol levels is not healthy, as it can cause cravings for unhealthy foods like sweets, fatty, and salty foods rather than foods that nourish the body. 

Too Much Of Cortisol

It can also cause weight gain, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, fatigue, and more. High levels of cortisol will increase blood sugar levels, suppress your immune system, and aid in stress response. It is also linked to weight gain and obesity. Regulating cortisol levels by managing stress and regulating your sleep cycle is crucial in achieving weight loss goals.

4.Sleep Boosts Your Metabolism 

Metabolism is a complex process that converts food into energy. We often hear the phrase “high metabolism and weight loss” thrown around a lot in the weight loss world. Strength training and increasing muscle mass can boost metabolism, helping you achieve your weight loss goals. Sleep can also prevent the slowing of metabolism.

Sleep deprivation can cause insulin resistance, resulting in high blood sugar levels (it is also a precursor to type 2 diabetes), increased cortisol levels, and oxidative stress.

5.Sufficient Sleep Helps You Get a Better Workout! 

Have you ever known the feeling of waking up to a long day after a horrible night’s rest? Not great. You chug down coffee and trudge through the day, lethargic and in a daze, every movement feels heavy, and your brain feels foggy.

Studies have found that poor sleep can reduce physical activity throughout the day, causing one to be more sedentary. This applies to workouts too. A lack of sleep can reduce your performance at the gym. It also slows recovery and increases your risk to injury.

Hack Your Sleep

Now that we have established the importance of sleep in weight loss, let us dive into the key essentials of ensuring good sleep. 

1.Establish any sleeping disorders

Insomnia can be a cause of stress, mental health disorders, pain, neurological disorders and more. 

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is common in obesity. It is a disorder where one stops breathing temporarily during sleep. This can be dangerous as it can impair blood circulation to all parts of your body, including the brain. 

Symptoms include daytime sleepiness, snoring at night, waking up gasping and choking for air, morning headaches, brain fog and more. 

It is important to seek medical professional help first to identify if any underlying medical conditions are affecting your sleep. 

2.Put Your Phone Away 

One of the main reasons we get poor sleep is because of our electronic gadgets and devices. Our electronic devices emit blue light, which reduces the release of melatonin in our bodies (a hormone that helps us sleep well).

It is recommended to limit or put away electronic gadgets at least an hour before sleep! Other alternatives include wearing anti-blue light eyewear.

3. Avoid caffeine late in the day

Caffeine is a stimulant that can prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep. It can negatively affect your rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Avoid caffeine at least 10 hours before sleeping.

4. Have a fixed sleep schedule 

Building a daily routine can help regulate your circadian rhythm. Our body clocks are affected by environmental patterns and behaviours, such as light and darkness and sleep patterns.

By regulating our circadian rhythm, we can improve sleep hygiene and ensure we get enough rest.

5. Bedroom environment 

Make sure your bedroom temperature, ventilation, lighting, sound is adequate and appropriate for a good night’s sleep.

Consider investing in a good pillow, mattress and blanket for sleep. This can help you avoid developing neck or back pain as well.

6. Managing stress levels

It can be hard to wind down after a long day of work, family, and commitments. We can’t sleep because our minds are preoccupied, musing about things that need to be done the following day, past events, and racing thoughts.

Trying breathing relaxation techniques, tuning into a meditation video or podcast, and journaling can help us process our thoughts and calm our minds before sleeping.

7. Exercise regularly

Sweating it out can significantly improve your sleep and overall health. It is a wonderful stress reliever, and mood booster, and aids in overall longevity. 

Find a form of workout you enjoy doing. 

Sign up for a Pilates or group high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class. Join a local gym and start strength training. Go for a run or daily walk around your local neighbourhood or park. 

Leading an active lifestyle also reduces insomnia. In fact, our Ministry of Health recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week.

8. Avoid eating 3 hours before bed

Late-night snacking can affect the quality of our sleep. If you are really hungry, opt for a low-carbohydrate snack. 

The 10-3-2-1 rule

With all that has been said, this is an effective and easy rule to optimise your sleep!

Avoid caffeine 10 hours before sleeping. 

Limit food 3 hours before sleeping.

Aim to wind down 2 hours before sleeping- doing relaxing activities. 

Turn off your mobile devices / electronic devices 1 hour before sleeping. 

Getting Some Shut-Eye 

In conclusion, sleep is extremely underrated and important in achieving your weight loss goals. 

If you suspect that you or your loved one are struggling to get a good night’s sleep, seek medical professional help now!

References

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