10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #8, sleep.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #1, walking.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #2, cut out those junk snacks
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #3, cutting out the sodas.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #4, weight training.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #5, cardio.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #6, an active life.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #7, healthy breakfast.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #8, sleep.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #9, smaller and more frequent meals.
- 10 steps to getting healthy and losing weight. #10, eating less meat.
One of my readers asked for a list of 10 steps to good health. I provided it, but now I want to break each of these items down and give you more useful details. So here’s step 8, getting enough sleep.
It’s funny how people who are trying to get healthy view sleep. They tend to see it as being lazy, as time that is not being spent productively. When I had my own little health meltdown, I was the same way. I thought to myself “wow, I spend too much time in bed. I need to cut that down and start doing something!” Well, the truth is a bit more complicated.
Yes, you might be spending too much time in bed but you also might be spending too little time sleeping. That sounds counter intuitive but it’s true. Many overweight people have problems getting a good night’s sleep. So they might spend 10+ hours in bed but they’re still not getting the 7 to 9 hours of deep sleep that they need to be healthy. Yes, you heard that right, you need 7 to 9 hours of good sleep a day. That’s about a third of your life spent in bed, sleeping.
Benefits of sleep
Sleep is not completely understood by medical science. We still don’t know why our bodies need to enter this odd state in order to recharge. Why can’t we rest by simply sitting down but remaining awake? However, what we do know shows that sleep has a number of profound affects on our bodies. One of these affects has to do with eating, overeating to be specific.
When you sleep, your body secretes a hormone that’s used for signaling your body that you are full and sated. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t get enough of this hormone. This means that you feel hungry and keep eating even when your body doesn’t need anymore food.
Sleep can also have an impact on your energy levels. Without enough sleep you feel tired and lethargic. This means your metabolism is running low, you’re burning less calories and retaining more fat. It also means you’re unlikely to workout or do anything active. In short, sleep makes you eat more and burn less calories.
Getting a good night’s sleep
A few things you need to do if you want to get a good night’s sleep:
Light proof your bedroom - Our bodies are very sensitive to light. If you let sunlight into your room then it’s a signal to your body to wake up. Make sure you have curtains or blinds on your windows and that they’re shut before you go to bed.
Go to sleep on a regular schedule - Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Varying your schedule confuses your body.
Take care of snoring problems - Snoring by itself can be a serious sleep problem for you and those around you. It can also be a sign of sleep apnea, another serious sleep disorder with very bad health risks. There are a variety of ways to deal with this, from losing weight to sleeping on your side. Make sure to consult with a doctor.
Don’t eat before going to bed - Eating right before going to bed can lead to acid reflux and other digestive issues that will keep you awake. Also stay away from caffeinated drinks before bed for obvious reasons.
Do some light physical activity - No cardio before bed since that will just wake you up. However, a very mild weights workout, some stretching or even a short walk can calm you down and get you ready to bed. In case any of you are curious, yes, sex is a very good light physical activity to do before bed.
Do some light intellectual activity - Alternatively, some people prefer to read a book. These are essentially two different ways of clearing your mind and getting ready for some stress free sleep.
The bedroom is for sleep - Keep work and stress out of the bedroom. Use it for sleep and that’s all. Well, aside from other bedroom activities which I won’t get into but can be a very healthy way of going to sleep 
Summary
Spending time in bed doesn’t necessarily have to mean you’re lazy. Your body needs sleep to be healthy and you should try to provide it with 7 to 9 hours of good sleep every night. Just make sure those 7 to 9 hours are spend well and that, once they’re done, you’re out of bed.
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Another point is that when you don’t get enough sleep, your body starts releases stress hormones that make it hard to lose weight. However, my biggest problem is that when I’m tired, I eat because I’m looking for a way to boost my energy levels. Taking a nap, and doing everything I can to get a good night’s sleep, has helped alot.
Hello This Mama Cooks,
Good point which I forgot to mention in my post. Lack of sleep does release stress hormones which cause overeating.
In regards to the eating for energy, I usually find that I can boost my energy levels with a quick walk much more than with a snack.
But yes, good sleep is best solution of all.
Gal