What gives? Is sleep more important to weight loss than exercise?
Maybe not, but it is critical. First off, lack of sleep leads us to poor choices. According to WebMd, it can also affect our metabolism, because the balance of hormones leptin and ghrelin are out of whack. As a woman, I have enough issues dealing with hormones since I had to quit birth control due to a blood clotting disorder (that's subject for another post). I certainly don't need to add to it.
But we've all been there. We're tired, we crave sugar, we eat bad stuff, we are too tired for the gym...you get the point.
It's not as simple as getting more sleep and doing nothing more, though. A study cited in the Huffington Post from Laval University notes that it is part of the important diet+exercise+sleep equals weight loss equation. But many people focus on the first two and don't think about the last, myself included. I've been known to burn the candle on all ends before.
So how much sleep do we really need? The National Sleep Foundation says every person is different. Most adults need 7-9 hours. Personally, I've gotten a little more than 7 hours the last two weeknights, and I've noticed a big difference in my ability to be productive. Heck, I'm writing this blog before I head to the office. I'm never so chipper in the morning! So much for thinking I could get by on 5.5-6 hours (which is noted as a level to make weight loss difficult in this Prevention article.)
Also, I've been using a new app called Sleep Time to track my cycles. I've learned I'm more of a light sleeper, and the nights I get more deep sleep, I'm better rested. It's been neat to track how often I may wake up in the middle of the night too.
So if you do one thing to take care of yourself this week, think about your sleep. Even just a little bit more every night may make a difference in your overall health!
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