Going to bed earlier/on time is my favorite timing secret for getting healthy - without thinking about dieting, or even if you are. As someone who lost 40 pounds after leaving the corporate world and her personal trainer and diets behind, I know a HUGE part was getting sleep again (as well as reducing my anxiety and the cortisol that was always rushing).

It’s not so much that if you sleep you lose weight, rather that little sleep negatively impacts our metabolism and contributes to weight retention and gain. 

• Dieting and lack of sleep cause stress which releases a spike in cortisol, a hormone that likes to hold onto fat as if a hard winter is coming. It also reduces your body’s ability to process the hormone insulin, needed to change many foods into energy (Shlisky, 2012).

• Any time we are trying to control things it causes a lack of energy and focus, time goes slower and you feel less productive. Willpower is not enough to resist and make self-control decisions hundreds of times. Losing sleep means making more bad decisions. 

• It’s no wonder researchers found dieters that slept less were hungrier, snacking more, choosing high-carb foods, having trouble saying “no” to a second portion, and overall weren’t fulfilled by meals (Nedeltcheva, 2009). 

• Most people need between 7 and 9 hours each night. One hour of sleep loss each night adds up to having an all-nighter that week, and losing just one hour of sleep twice a week was correlated with gaining two pounds. Even keeping calorie consumption identical, when dieters cut back on sleep for two weeks the amount of fat they were losing decreased by 55% (Nedeltcheva, 2009)

To get to sleep on time, consider:

• Creating a bedtime ritual and sticking to a schedule, even on the weekend. Use an app (like Apple Health | Bedtime) to cue you to start getting ready for bed, and then again when it’s time to sleep and wake.

• Turning off technology and lights at least an hour before bed to cue your body to release melatonin, a natural sleep hormone.

• Avoiding eating heavy meals and alcohol close to bedtime that may contribute to heartburn or other discomfort making it hard to fall asleep.

• Steer clear of caffeinated beverages and foods (chocolate!) after 2 pm to allow the 5 to 6 hours it takes to clear the system.

SO, GO TO BED!

What has been the biggest help for you in sticking to a healthy regimen?

Resources

Nedeltcheva, A. (2009) Sleep curtailment is accompanied by increased intake of calories from snacks. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89 (1), 126-133.

Shlisky, J. (2012) Partial sleep deprivation and energy balance in adults. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 12 (11), 1785-1797