Lose weight while you sleep? It's a dieter's dream come true! More and more scientific evidence is revealing the role sleep plays in weight management. Both the quantity and quality of sleep play roles.
The discovery of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, and the roles they play in weight control, has led to new research to understand more fully how they work to control appetite. Ghrelin, produced in the stomach and pancreas, signals the body to eat. Leptin, generated in fat cells, sends the "full" message to the brain. The checks and balances between them help with weight control. And what happens during sleep, according to the researchers, is critical.
Have you ever had a night of fitful sleep followed by a day of constant grazing without feeling satisfied or full? That was leptin and ghrelin at work. During sleep leptin levels go up so the body can ago without food. And ghrelin levels dip so you're not hungry. Ghrelin boosts appetite, increases fat production and encourages growth. Without adequate sleep, the levels of these (and all the body's hormones) get out of whack. Sleep is the time for repair and regeneration of all the body systems. Without enough time to reset, appetite regulation goes out of balance. The increased hunger and decreased sense of fullness can lead to overeating and ultimately weight gain.
Researchers across the country(fn) have determined that fewer than seven hours of sleep may be the trigger for hormonal changes that lead to weight gain. An occasional night with less sleep is manageable. But if you regularly get six or fewer, you might want to try going to bed earlier and see if there's a difference in your eating patterns. If you sleep eight hours or more and wake up not feeling rested, check with you doctor to determine if you might have sleep apnea, a condition where you wake repeatedly during the night and don't get the benefits of deep sleep.
Michael Breus, PhD, reported in Psychology Today (5/11/11) that getting enough REM (rapid eye movement) sleep seems to be an essential element in regulating the ghrelin and leptin hormones as well as cortisol production, another substance that increased appetite. He discovered that longer cycles of REM sleep which occur after six hours of sleeping seem to be one determining factor in keeping the hormones in balance. He recommends no snoozing after the alarm goes off in the morning, but rather waking at the last possible minute to keep from interrupting the last cycle of REM sleep. REM sleep is when your brain is most active and burning calories. Breus suggests that if you get tired in the afternoon, take a quick nap no longer than 30 minutes. Also, stay away from caffeine after 2:00 pm. He argues that sleep loss directly affects weight loss both in burning calories and making the right food choices. He argues that feeling refreshed and energized each morning will naturally lead to better food choices and a desire to move around.
Give your brain the chance to burn calories and let your hormones get rebalanced during REM sleep by sleeping for 7-8 hours each night. Wake up ready to eat a healthy breakfast and start the day with renewed energy. Along with exercise and good food choices, getting enough sleep can help weight loss. Just remember, the weight didn't go on overnight. So be patient, but determined, as it goes away.
Sweet dreams!
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