You must be familiar with how important sleep is for your health. But did you know that sleep also plays an important role in burning fat? Well, now you’ll know as we will explore the connection between sleep and weight loss. A lot of people search for magical ways to reduce their weight. But during this process, they neglect an important aspect of reducing weight: sleep. Diet and exercise do their magic, but if sleep is neglected during this time. Then, even these remedies become ineffective.
So, keep reading if you want to explore how sleep affects your weight and how you can improve your sleep cycle through the healthy sleep care routine we have shared with you.
Connection Between Sleep and Belly Fat: Ayurvedic Perspective
In Ayurveda, digestion is recognized as Agni and sleep as Nidra. A disturbed sleep cycle can weaken Agni, leading to poor digestion and the accumulation of toxins, i.e., ama. The accumulation of toxins promotes fat storage, particularly around the abdomen area. In Ayurvedic science, the three doshas have prominent importance and are known to regulate various body functions.
When Vata dosha is aggravated, it can lead to restless sleep, anxiety, and an inability to wind down properly. This imbalance further triggers emotional eating and cravings, leading to belly fat. An imbalance of Pitta dosha can cause heat and inflammation, potentially leading to poor digestion and disrupted sleep. When Kapha is aggravated, it may lead to excessive sleep or lethargy, resulting in reduced physical activity, slower digestion, and a tendency to store fat.
How Quality Sleep Helps to Burn Fat
1. Quality Sleep Regulates Hunger Hormones
There are two main hormones associated with hunger – ghrelin and leptin – that play a crucial role in regulating appetite. Studies(1) show that a consistent sleep schedule helps regulate hunger hormones. A good sleep schedule promotes deep sleep, thus helping to burn fat more efficiently.
2. Quality Sleep Supports Metabolic Functions
A research article published in the *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that a lack of sleep may result in a notable reduction in resting metabolic rate (RMR). This is because sleep supports metabolic function by improving insulin sensitivity, enhancing fat burning, regulating appetite hormones, supporting muscle growth, and promoting overall energy expenditure.
3. Sleep Controls the Cortisol Level
Cortisol is a stress hormone that can influence fat storage. There is scientific evidence(2) that mental stress may play a role in poor sleep, enhanced appetite, cravings and decreased motivation for physical activity. Quality sleep lowers cortisol levels, which helps reduce abdominal fat accumulation and allows for better fat-burning processes.
4. Quality Sleep Improves Energy Expenditure
Studies (3) suggest that disturbed sleeping patterns lead to increased energy intake, partly from excessive snacking, mainly on foods high in fat and carbohydrates. Thus, it is important to manage energy. Quality sleep helps restore and balance metabolic function, enabling better energy utilization during the day.
5. Good Sleep Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Lack of sleep impairs insulin sensitivity, meaning your body has a harder time processing glucose (sugar). This results in higher blood sugar and more fat storage. Quality sleep, in turn, helps your body maintain optimal insulin function, which can lead to better fat utilization and fat loss.
6. Boosts Fat Oxidation
Fat oxidation is the rate at which your body burns fat. Deep sleep helps in fat burning, especially during exercise and daily activities. During sleep, your body is not actively digesting food, and it shifts into a mode of fat utilization to maintain energy levels.
These are some of the ways our sleep influences our weight. It often becomes challenging for people to manage both sleep and weight. However, with this Ayurvedic formula, we have made it easier for people who are looking for the dual benefit of good sleep and a healthy weight. Combine it with these sleep routines for better effect.
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Best Sleep Routine for Weight Loss
A good sleep routine can help you get restful sleep. It’s necessary to be consistent with this routine to get effective results. Here are some of the best sleep routines helpful for weight loss.-
1. Have a Pre-Sleep Routine
Include some calming activities as part of your bedtime routine. Activities such as deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation or book reading are an effective addition to your sleep routine. These activities help minimise stress that can become a hurdle in your sleep.
2. Use a Sleep Tracker
Use a sleep tracker or journal to keep track of your sleep quality and note any factors that may impact it, such as stress, food, or screen time. By analysing these factors daily, you can identify the activities that are inhibiting your sleep.
3. Optimise Your Sleep Environment
Keep your bedroom cool, around 60-67°F (15-19°C), for deeper sleep and better fat metabolism. A study(4) dropped the temperatures of sleeping participants to 66 degrees for 10 hours each night for a month. This increases the brown fat, which may help burn more calories.
4. Avoid Late-Night Munching
A study(5) was done to find out how eating late may influence the success of weight-loss therapy. Late lunch eaters lost less weight and displayed a slower weight-loss rate during the 20 weeks of treatment than early eaters.
5. Build a Consistent Sleep Cycle
Ayurveda suggests the optimal time for sleep is between 10 PM and 6 AM, as it aligns with the natural cycles of the body. Set a regular wake-up time to improve the quality of your sleep. Consistent sleep enhances the body’s ability to burn fat, balance hormones, and regulate appetite.
6. Avoid Screen Use Before Sleep
Screen time before sleeping can disturb your sleep cycle. As per studies(6), screen time negatively affects your sleep by your exposure to bright light at night, especially blue–green light, which reduces circulating levels of melatonin.
Conclusion
The connection between sleep and weight loss is often ignored. But that’s where the secret of losing healthy weight lies. Now, as you are aware of healthy sleep habits for weight loss, your journey to achieving your dream weight is not far. Adapt to a healthy sleep routine and be consistent with your sleep cycle. Along with your sleep, take care of your eating habits as well. For more such insights on how to lose weight, consider reading this blog.
References
- Spiegel K, Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function. Lancet. 1999 Nov 20;354(9188):1435-9. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2831422/
- Tobaldini E, Costantino G, Solbiati M, et al. Sleep and cardiovascular disease. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2018 Jan-Feb;60(1):74-86. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28849612/
- Luo L, Li J, Cheng Y, et al. The effects of sleep duration and sleep disorders on obesity: A review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Jun 23;13:795325. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9590398/pdf/41574_2022_Article_747.pdf
- Patel SR, Malhotra A, White DP, et al. Increased risk of hypertension in sleep-deprived women. Hypertension. 2006 Mar;47(3):444-50. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23357955/
- WebMD. Can Sleeping Cold Help You Lose Weight? . Available from: https://www.webmd.com/diet/video/can-sleeping-cold-help-you-lose-weight
- Sleep Foundation. Weight loss, and sleep. Available from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/weight-loss-and-sleep
