So you are doing everything the experts tell you: you work out regularly and you follow a healthy diet. Yet still, you find you just can’t reach your target weight. Did you know that this is most likely due to stress and poor sleep habits? Besides impacting your mood, stress greatly impacts how well you sleep. There is science behind sleep and weight loss and studies have shown that poor quality sleep may lead to weight gain and obesity. So, how does sleep help you maintain a healthy weight? Let’s uncover the link between stress, sleep, and weight and look at ways to improve your sleep hygiene.
The Science Behind Stress, Sleep, and Weight
Over the past few decades, work demands and societal shifts have added stressors that have caused the amount and quality of sleep to decrease. At the same time, the average body mass index (BMI) increased significantly. This has led researchers to consider the link between sleep and weight. They suggest that sleep deprivation causes cravings for calorie-dense foods (can you say chips and Netflix?). To add to that, sleep deprivation impacts some of the body’s hormones that control appetite. A sleep-deprived body makes more of the hormone ghrelin (an appetite stimulant) and less of the hormone leptin (an appetite suppressor). This can cause overeating and ultimately, weight gain.
Of course, we all know keeping physically active is important to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, however, fatigue often leads to sedentary behaviour. People who are sleep deprived often lack the energy to take a walk or jump on a bike and are less likely to hit the stairs rather than the elevator. This can have a huge impact on your weight. Continue reading to answer the question: How does sleep help you maintain a healthy weight?
Tips to Create Healthy Sleep Habits
There are many ways to improve sleep. Here are a few research-based tips for sleeping better when you’re trying to lose weight.
- Keep a regular sleep schedule: Try going to bed around the same time each night – even on the weekends. This also applies to getting up at the same time. Although sleeping in on a Sunday morning can be blissful, it can wreak havoc on your internal clock.
- Sleep in a dark room: Exposure to artificial light while sleeping, such as a TV, your phone, or even a lamp can interrupt sleep.
- Don’t eat right before bed. Eating before bed can cause wake after sleep onset, which can also lead to insomnia.
- Limit screen time to at least 1 hour before bed. Scrolling through Instagram and Facebook as you lay in bed could sabotage your sleep by stimulating your brain. Put your phone away at least 60 minutes before bedtime.
- Engage in 30 or more minutes of exercise and physical activity each day. This can help relieve stress and aid in a restful slumber.
- Reduce Stress. Easier said than done? Read on + Check out our article Daily Activities to Improve Your Sleep
Ashwagandha -the King of Herbs – to reduce stress
Perhaps one of the most effective ways to develop healthy sleep habits is to reduce the stress in our lives. With the demands of work, family, relationships and everything else that comes with life, this is often easier said than done! Rather than reaching for that glass of wine or other substance to help you relax, you may want to consider a supplement containing Ashwagandha root.
Ashwagandha is a centuries-old Indian herb with a wide range of therapeutic benefits, including reducing stress by lowering cortisol levels. One of the main causes of weight gain is increased stress and high cortisol levels. When stressed, sleep is compromised. Ashwagandha can help people suffering from insomnia by improving their quality of sleep. As Ashwagandha helps in relieving stress, it also promotes weight loss.
Other Benefits of Ashwagandha
Boosts immunity – Ashwagandha can help keep your health in check by boosting your immunity, giving you a natural defence against viruses such as cold and flu. Studies also suggest that this wonder herb may induce the death of cancer cells, reducing its spread. It may also reduce heart disease.
Rich in antioxidants – Ashwagandha is full of antioxidants that are essential for overall well-being. In addition, speeding up metabolism and decreasing inflammation helps burn the stored fat in your body, resulting in weight loss.
Increases energy –Ashwagandha increases your overall energy and helps during workouts. By decreasing fatigue, it improves endurance, giving you the energy boost needed to get you moving your body.
Boosts mood – Known to reduce depression, Ashwagandha can promote feelings of happiness, contentment, and ease.
In addition, Ashwagandha lowers blood sugar, improves insulin sensitivity, supports testosterone and libido, increases brain memory, improves circulation, and helps the body deal with aging, to name just a few benefits.
Promote Deeper Sleep: Melatonin, Magnesium, L-Theanine and L’Tryptophan
Ensuring that you are getting all the nutrients you need during the day will help your body relax at night. There are also natural minerals such as Magnesium that help your muscles to relax and rest. The body naturally produces melatonin just after it gets dark, to help naturally encourage sleep. Because of the blue lights that surround us, natural melatonin production can become confused, therefore, it can be very useful to have a little melatonin in supplement form just before you get under the covers.
L-theanine, which is naturally found in some mushrooms and green tea is speculated to increase levels of GABA, dopamine, serotonin. L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid naturally found in red meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Combined, L-theanine and L-tryptophan have a relaxing effect on the body. Not only are they helpful for healthy sleep cycles, they are also used to support mood and state of mind. They support many organs in the body and must be consumed in the diet because the body does not produce them naturally.
How Does Sleep Help You Maintain A Healthy Weight?: Nightly Fat Burner
The bottom line is that Ashwagandha helps maintain a balance between a healthy physical and mental self. This is why Dr. Tobias has developed Dr. Tobias Fat Burner Nightly, a premium nighttime fat-burning supplement and sleep formula with Ashwagandha root, Melatonin, Magnesium, L-theanine and L-tryptophan. This can be taken at bedtime to help you get a more restful and deeper sleep while supporting digestive function and encouraging metabolic activity. Yes, you get to rest, while your body burns fat!
This formula includes a combination of calming ingredients and productive energy support such as:
White Kidney Bean Extract (often called White Kidney Bean Carb Blocker), which can help you feel full longer and reduce late-night food cravings
Green Coffee Bean Extract, which absorbs to encourage metabolic function and can increase weight loss
A blend of sleep support ingredients including Magnesium, Ashwagandha Root, and Melatonin, to promote deep relaxation
A Healthier Version of You health tip: Take 2 capsules with a glass of water before you go to bed and maintain a nutrient-rich diet, daily exercise, and a positive attitude- because better overall health is within reach!
At Dr. Tobias, we take pride in providing quality products and the highest level of support. Dr. Tobias Fat Burner Nightly is Non-GMO and made in the USA in an FDA-registered facility with the highest quality ingredients in support of better overall health.
Our mission is to encourage people to become the best version of themselves; whether you’re looking for improved brain function, joint support, an energy boost or detox, we can help you get there.
A healthier you starts here.
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