Correlation between sleep and weight loss

JohnnyBLean
JohnnyBLean Posts: 67 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My doctor told me that a probable cause of my sluggish weight loss is not getting enough sleep. I know I should be getting 8 hours per night, but I actually get between 5-6. How many hours of sleep are you getting per night?

Replies

  • springb513
    springb513 Posts: 41 Member
    About 6-7, 8 on the weekends. I'd like to get more and I'm sure it would help, but it's hard!!
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    Yeah buddy!
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    I get between 4 and 6 and haven't seen it negatively impact my weight loss. It came off quick.
  • carolg225
    carolg225 Posts: 29
    I sleep about 6 to 7 hours a nite....don't know how it effects weight loss but interesting to think about. And on another note.....
    ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Oh_Em_Jayyy
    Oh_Em_Jayyy Posts: 56 Member
    I sleep about 7.5-8 hours a night all week. That usually means getting in bed at 9 and drifting off while watching some mindless TV; not glamorous but I love and need my sleep!
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    I get between 5-6 as well except on weekends where I crash and have a 12+ hour sleepathon. I'm not sure if it has slowed my weight loss or not, but I have no complaints so far.
  • sebrantley25
    sebrantley25 Posts: 12
    I actually just posted a website feedback topic on this. I know that my lack of sleep does affect my weight. When you get more sleep, your body is able to process waste more easily. 8-9 hours is my current goal. I'm currently stuck at 6-7. So my weight loss has plateaued. I was down to 5 hours a night for a while and had actually gained a few pounds. Just to note, I have actually lost a total of 144 pounds since Feb 2011.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Some people need more or less.
    7.5 has always been my best number for hours overnight.

    But I would focus more on getting in good strong workouts, adequate food intake (a cut off TDEE)
    Personally I think heavy lifting is a big body composition boost...for muscle retention and fat loss.

    Try to establish patterns/habits that promote sleep at night. Like, get your things ready the night before,
    have a night-time "ritual" of sorts that puts you in your bed sleepy, make an action plan on paper instead of mulling things over in your mind, consider a fan in your room for "white noise" etc etc.
  • calmthundr2
    calmthundr2 Posts: 17 Member
    If you want to see if there is a correlation, you could start tracking how many hours of sleep you get each night in MFP. Although this isn't perfect (i.e. - you can't old everything else perfectly still and unchanging as you live your life. Several things change, not just your sleep so it may be difficult to tell whether sleep is the only cause).
  • CoachSamB
    CoachSamB Posts: 40 Member
    Nice job! Are you exercising as well?
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    Some nights I get 3-4 hours sleep, sometimes I get 8-9 hours. And I definitely see more of a drop on the scales when I'm getting 8-9 hours
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    I get 5 - 6 hours but am making a real effort to get to sleep a little earlier increasing to about 7 hours sleep most nights. If accomplished it would be an additional lifestyle change for me :smile:
  • MdmAcolyte
    MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
    If I do not get at least 8 hours of sleep a night, I am a grumpy toddler the next day. I get stressed out, and that makes me want to eat sometimes too. At least when Im sleeping, Im not hungry. :)
  • marekdds
    marekdds Posts: 2,232 Member
    I get 6-7hr a night, probably a little more on weekends. The only effect I noticed when I got less was w/ workouts. Poorer workouts would mean slower weight loss.
  • candctaber
    candctaber Posts: 274
    I used to get 6-8 hours, but for the past several months I'm only getting 2-3. I have started to put on weight!! :sad:
  • Culley34
    Culley34 Posts: 224
    6-7, but I keep waking up in the middle of the night. At least, it has been that way for the 2 weeks or so.
  • CarlaC78
    CarlaC78 Posts: 30
    I get about 6 hours a night (hence all the coffee logged in my diary ><) I am a very light sleeper since having children and even the cats mooching about wakes me.

    I bet a good nights sleep probably does make a difference in weight loss and shall have a read up about this shortly.... I know most of my gain was stress related and once I was less stressed I began losing even before I made a conscious effort to fight the flab. Maybe sleeping better would improve it even more....
  • tubbyelmo
    tubbyelmo Posts: 415 Member
    If I do not get at least 8 hours of sleep a night, I am a grumpy toddler the next day. I get stressed out, and that makes me want to eat sometimes too. At least when Im sleeping, Im not hungry. :)

    ^^ Yes, this made me smile, sounds just like me! Alarm goes off at 6am so I'm tucked up under the duvet by 10pm at the latest!
  • issystclaire
    issystclaire Posts: 113 Member
    I haven't spoken to a dr or nutritionist about it, but I have read the same in many places. I think it has something to do with general energy levels as well as giving your body the time it needs to rest and metabolise itself.

    I have also read that if you are overweight, it can affect how you sleep as the extra fat/weight puts more strain on your organs, causing them to struggle unneccessairly, but again, I do not know if this is entirely true.

    Either way, sleep is super important for over all general health, I myself have a lot of issues with it as well, as far as not getting enough, so I am trying to change that. Our bodies and minds need a goodly amount of time to just switch off, rest and revitalise!
  • seamatt
    seamatt Posts: 199 Member
    interesting article on the BBC re: sleep

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    I get anywhere from 4 to 10 hours a sleep a night. It hasn't affected my weight loss...

    Are you eating the right amount of calories? Sleep has a lot to do with hormone balance, but the weight loss aspect of things is more about eating the right amount of calories (or rather eating UNDER the right amount of calories). Also, if you are yo-yo'ing, then you are likely over-eating carbs each meal. Carbs aren't evil, but if you have too much in a sitting, it will result in fat storage when all your muscle/organ storage reservoirs are full. That's why it's VERY important to exercise if you are going to be on the standard american diet (55% carb, 15% protein, 30% fat). Something to think about....

    But first you need to know how much you should be eating:
    http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee
  • theactionfigure
    theactionfigure Posts: 103
    I don't get nearly as much sleep as I would like to. I have worked a lot of night shifts this year, and I actually got to where I was sleeping really good during the day. Now I'm on days again, and I have to force myself to go to bed... to SLEEP! Although I have been seeing good gains at the gym, I am not losing the belly fat like I would like. Now those of you who know me may disagree, I still eat out, sensibly if I can, and I have lost some weight recently, but I am not satisfied with the rate of loss. I firmly believe that sleep has much to do with overall fitness.

    I am currently getting 4 - 5 hours a night, but I want to get back to 7 - 8. I know this will make the difference, at least for me, in my body. Best of luck to you all getting the sleep you need, and finding the right routine for YOU! Much love. . . .

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