You Snooze....You Lose

If you want to lose weight, you should make sure that you are getting sufficient sleep in addition to following a healthy meal plan, regular exercise. For most of us, that means, getting at least 7 hours every night

Findings, presented at the 2006 American Thoracic Society International Conference, showed that women who slept 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to experience major weight gain (an increase of 33 pounds or more) and 15% more likely to become obese over the course of the 16-year study, compared to those who slept 7 hours a night.

Inadequate sleep interferes with the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates and causes high blood levels of glucose, which leads to higher insulin levels and greater body-fat storage. It also causes the body to crave carbohydrates, reduces your growth hormone which helps regulate the body proportions of fat and muscle. It can also lead to insulin resistance which increases your risk of diabetes. It can also increase blood pressure which puts you at a higher risk of heart disease...

Best practices for adequate sleep:

1. Keep a regular schedule. Our bodies like regularity. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time. With a regular schedule, your body will know when to release calming hormones before bed and stimulating hormones to wake up.

2. Alcohol and caffeine both interfere with sleep. Try to avoid caffeine within 8-9 hours of your bedtime. If you are trying to get healthy and lose weight avoid alcohol, you will hit your goals much faster

3. Eat and drink appropriately. A regular to smallish-sized meal about 3 hours before bed, one that is balanced in nutrients, can help facilitate sleep. Try not to drink too much liquid in the hours before bed, which will help you avoid waking up for bathroom breaks.

4. Do a brain dump. Take a few minutes to write out a list of whatever is bugging you. Whatever is in your brain, get it out and on to paper.

5. Turn off electronics. Digital devices stimulate our brain. We recommend unplugging from all screens at least 30 minutes before bed. This includes television, computers, and smartphones. The screens release a blue light that prevents our brain from preparing for sleep.

6. Stretch / read / de-stress before bed. Consider trying some reading, or use the meditation challenge.

7. Go to bed before midnight. This is better aligned with natural light cycles.

8. Set an alarm to go to bed. Work backward and add buffer time: If you need to wake up at 6 AM and want to be in bed for 7 hours, start moving towards bed around 10:30 PM with lights out by 11.

9. Exercise regularly. Physical movement (especially outdoors) can promote restful sleep at night.

10. Take a bath or shower. A warm bath with Epsom salts or even a cool shower (depending on personal preference) can promote restful sleep.

11. Keep the room dark. This means curtains, shades, and/or a sleep mask.

12. Have a stress-free / clutter-free bedroom.

13. Keep it cool. Anywhere from 60-68 F (15-20 C) appears to work best at night.

14. Use white noise. For instance, turn on a fan, or humidifier.

15. Get outside in the sunlight and fresh air during the day. Or, if you work a shift, try to get lots of bright light and movement when you should normally be awake.