When thinking about diets and issues surrounding weight it is easy to fast track to the nutrition and lifestyle overhaul (and by all means these are the most important things to tackle), but do not overlook one of our most valuable health-enhancing resources.
The Sleep and Weight Debate
The subject of sleep has long been an area of fascination, but it is only recently that we are truly beginning to understand the influence our quality of sleep can have on achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. According to new research presented at the American Thoracic Society’s 105th International Conference there is a surprisingly consistent relationship between body mass index (an indicator of how healthy your weight is for your height) and length and quality of sleep.
The hormone ghrelin, which is mainly produced by the stomach, has an important role to play in the mechanics of these findings. It works alongside another hormone called leptin (known as the "satiety hormone”) to form a negative feedback loop that exerts control over appetite. Ghrelin’s effect is an increase in appetite and one of the key discoveries is that the production of ghrelin increases with sleep deprivation.
Poor sleep not only influences the production of appetite-enhancing ghrelin, it also increases feelings of stress and decreases the ability to deal with challenging situations in daily life. In times of stress there is an increase in circulating levels of hormones such as cortisol which, in turn, have been linked to abdominal obesity. Besides this, it is well known that many people turn to food as a coping mechanism to help deal with stress.
Short-Term Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is likely to reduce levels of motivation, thereby making it more difficult to stick to planned resolutions, whilst fatigue makes calorific, quick energy fixes more irresistible, reduces physical activity and is detrimental to the performance of any exercise (e.g. by reducing strength and stamina). The net effect of all this is that fewer calories are expended during the day.
An indicator that you are not getting adequate sleep (in terms of either quality or quantity) is if you find yourself needing to play catch-up whenever you get the opportunity, for example by staying in bed for much longer when you have a day off.
Other signs and symptoms of poor sleep include:
- Difficulty waking up
- Difficulty staying awake when doing sedentary activities like reading or watching television
- Falling asleep or feeling fatigued when driving
- Experiencing drowsiness during the day
- Feeling like you want to take a nap almost every day
- Finding it difficult to make decisions
- Poor concentration
- Slow reaction times
- Over-reliance on caffeinated drinks and snacks to give you energy
- Feeling irritable or experiencing emotional outbursts
- Increased clumsiness
- Often being told you look tired
The ideal amount of sleep is entirely individual, although for most adults who are in good health 7 to 8 hours appears to be best. Get used to listening to your body and be aware of how much sleep you’ve had on the days that you feel full of energy and vitality. This will give you an idea of how much you tend to need.
Remember that the signs and symptoms above are very general. Always seek medical advice if you are at all concerned about any issue regarding your health.
 |
