The sleep and weight loss connection

Sleep has proven time and time again to be necessary in nearly all parts of physiology, profoundly impacting everything from your mood to your ability to lose weight. Getting enough sleep is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and while you may be busy and not getting the full seven to eight hours that are recommended for adults at night, you should try to prioritize your sleeping time. This is especially true if you’re trying to lose weight, because research shows that getting enough sleep aids in weight loss.

Metabolism and sleep

If you are not sleeping enough, everything in your body starts to misfire and not function properly, including your metabolism. Sleep itself won’t “burn fat,” but what will happen is that your metabolism will slow down, causing you to not burn calories as efficiently as you would otherwise. This results in weight gain, or rather, weight that seems to have been gained, but is actually simply fat that isn’t being burned as it normally would.

You live in a culture that’s rife where overachievers and self-sacrifice in the name of your job are the norm, but no matter what happens, you shouldn’t let your sleep become a victim of the cycle. You’ll be unhappy and much less equipped to handle daily life.

Find the ideal mattress for you.

The mattress is the basis of your quality of sleep and, therefore of your quality of life. It should not be too hard nor too soft – and certainly not saggy. But what degree of firmness do I need for a mattress, and how do I determine it? It depends primarily on body weight, height, and the preferred sleeping position. A distinction is made between H1 (very soft) and H5 (very hard) – I used an online calculator to calculate the ideal firmness of my mattress in advance to avoid health problems.

The positive impact on mood

Sleep deprivation adversely impacts mood – a proven fact. If you don’t get enough sleep, the obvious happens, such as becoming irritable and cranky. Though, it doesn’t end there. Sleep affects every part of your physiology, ranging from your metabolism rate right through to your ability to think. If you start depriving yourself of a proper night’s sleep, you’re going to feel it, and the more frequently you pull all-nighters, the harder you’re going to fall. Sleep is one of the most essential parts of mental health, and the first question that most mental health professionals will ask when being confronted with a patient who is experiencing depression or anxiety, is how much sleep they get every night.

Sleep enough

How many hours are healthy? There is usually talk of 6 – 8 hours. However, there is no general answer to this question, as people have different needs for rest. However, the following rule of thumb applies: if you can work at your desk for hours during the day without nodding off, your sleep duration is sufficient.

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the gym

When you get the amount of sleep your body needs, you are automatically going to have more energy, and you’ll need it if you’re going to exercise. Going to bed at a reasonable hour and getting up at the same time every morning can positively influence your energy levels and mood, and will galvanize you to strive for more at the gym. If you’re exhausted, it’s much less likely you’re going to drag yourself to the elliptical machine or treadmill, and on top of that, you’ll also have a slowed metabolism working against you. One of the most valuable parts of the “non-exercise” part of your life that impacts weight is sleep, both chemically but also indirectly.

Make sure you get enough rest

Your bedroom must be the quietest place in your home – not least so as not to pull you out of your deep sleep phase. Avoid disturbing noises, even if they don’t prevent you from falling asleep. For example, street noise, a rattling bed frame, or a restless refrigerator in the background all inhibit the quality of your sleep, even if you’re not aware of it.

Laptops, smartphones, and TV also have no place in the bedroom. Healthy sleep needs to be a space where your body can shut down.

Create darkness

Your bedroom should be as dark as possible. Whether it’s from the power strip, your smartphone, or the glow of the street light – any additional disturbing light can negatively affect the health of your sleep. This is because the sleep hormone melatonin is produced in the dark. A deficiency can cause sleep rhythm disturbances and other health consequences.

If you’re an extremely busy person, try to manage your time better to make room for sleep. It should be your first priority for your own well-being, if only to ensure that you can continue to function at a high level of daily life.

Use summer and winter bedding

If you want to sleep healthily, you should also take a closer look at your choice of bedding. It should be absorbent, durable, and breathable.

Satin bedding is suitable in summer, for example, smooth, light, soft, and very relaxed on the skin. As a rule, the material is made of cotton and is vegan. Linen is another health-promoting material for pillows and comforters, absorbing moisture quickly and drying just as quickly.

For winter, dense, warming cotton yields ideal conditions for healthy sleep in cooler temperatures.

Sleep in a bed that suits you.

How could it be otherwise: the choice of your bed is also essential for a high quality of sleep. An optimal bed length is a bed frame that exceeds your height by about 30 centimeters. There is little to consider when it comes to the material of the bed frame – the mattress is more decisive. But whether wood or metal – it should not creak! A look should also apply to the slatted frame – because if this is broken or worn out, even the best mattress can not develop its full effect.

A relaxing evening equals a better night sleep

Immediately before resting, you should not do any more extensive sports in the evening, but go for a walk or do some light gymnastic exercises. No pulse racing, but a better oxygen supply and slightly stimulated blood circulation ultimately ensure a healthier sleep. In addition, you should refrain from consuming alcoholic and sugary drinks and smoking a cigarette. Also, do not eat overly fatty meals, but only dishes not so heavy on the stomach. This way, you will make sure that you sleep healthier and don’t feel so tired in the morning.

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