Sleep and weight loss

jakiram
jakiram Posts: 25 Member
edited October 22 in Motivation and Support
I never have enough hours in a day and I seldom sleep more than 6 hours per night. Now I´ve red that in order to lose weight one should sleep at least 8 hours per night? Is there thruth to this? How long do you sleep and have you noticed a difference in weight loss when sleeping less or more. I did lose more during my vacation when I was able to sleep more - or was I just less stressed out and got more exercise then, I don´t know. I´d like to hear other people´s experiences?

Replies

  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    I typically get 6.5 hours of sleep - Sleep is important but I'm still losing :P
  • kjones3535
    kjones3535 Posts: 139
    I have heard 7-8 hours is optimal. People who sleep less tend to eat more (since you are awake longer) and people who sleep too much are less active.
  • redfroggie
    redfroggie Posts: 591 Member
    I hope it's not completely true. I haven't been sleeping more than 3-4 hours a night lately and it's broken up sleep at that. Can't turn my brain off, think I might try some Valerian root.
  • cbelden05
    cbelden05 Posts: 25
    Is that sleeping or lying down, because I cat nap, can't stay in a good sleep more than an hour and a half or so, but I don't get out of bed, I just lay there, because it's quite and I'm still, and the kids aren't up fighting, lol. But, my mind won't stop so cat nap is all I get
  • Drudoo
    Drudoo Posts: 275 Member
    I lose weight quicker when I get more sleep (7+ hours) than when I get less.
  • DHURD38
    DHURD38 Posts: 5
    I, too, have heard the same, that 7-8 hours is optimal. I was watching Ricki Lake last week and a lady was on there talking about weight loss after age 30. She said the key is the 3 S's, sugar, stress, and sleep. Reduce your sugar intake (non-natural sources), reduce stress, and get more sleep. The sugars were the desserts and candy and stuff like that, but she did stress to not deprive yourself if thats what you really want. Stress is pretty much self-explanatory. She said you need more sleep not only because you tend to eat less but there was a hormonal tie to weight loss; I believe it was related to melatonin.
    So bottom line, over 30s need more sleep, period.
  • kimberly702
    kimberly702 Posts: 369 Member
    I lose easier when I get plenty of sleep... I need at least 8 hours to be able to wake up and not still be tired. I think I've read because when you haven't had enough sleep your body releases extra cortisol and that can hang on to fat... or something. And I've noticed on days when I haven't had a good nights sleep... especially after nights that I've stayed up way too late, that I eat more the next day and am more likely to binge. Think it's because I'm so tired that I want to eat more to gain energy. Maybe? I dunno. Either way... get enough sleep. :)
  • x_JT_x
    x_JT_x Posts: 364
    I lose weight quicker when I get more sleep (7+ hours) than when I get less.

    I find this as well.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I can't imagine getting less than 8 hours. I would feel like crap. I get up at 6am, so I go to bed at 10pm. Sometimes it takes a bit to fall asleep, but never on workout nights! If I have a good workout, then I'm asleep once my head hits the pillow. Maybe you can try looking at your schedule and see what changes you can make. (Unless you have small children, in which case I'll say, wait until they are teens then you'll get your 8 hours in again! :laugh: )
  • PinkHurricane88
    PinkHurricane88 Posts: 156 Member
    I usually get 6-8. There are some nights, particularly during the early week, that I just can't shut off my brain because I have so much to do. But in general I try my hardest to get at least 6 hours.
  • Pinkigloopyxie
    Pinkigloopyxie Posts: 231
    I sleep according to the weather.

    For example, I didn't get to bed until 2am last night, but am wide awake now at 8:45am because it's bright and sunny out.

    If it were cloudy and gloomy out, I wouldn't be able to drag my carcass out of bed at my 9:30 alarm and would sleep another hour until I had to get up for class. 6.5 hrs compared to 8.5 hrs.
  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
    I usually get about 4 on a good night. I've suffered chronic insomnia for many years, which sometimes fixes itself when everything's good, but anything in life goes slightly wrong and my body seems to have a massive overreaction and refuse to turn off. I do try, I'm usually in my bed for about 8 hours, but most of that is spent staring at the back of my eyelids, very much conscious. Probably why I plateau so often, now I think about it. The last month my fat levels have gone up, despite not really eating any more than usual, and I've been getting about 2 hours, sometimes none at all. So yeah, sleep more people!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    No, the idea is that- in order lose weight, one must be well rested. Whatever amount of sleep for YOU equals well-rested is how much you need. 8 hours is just an average.
  • debrahbeger
    debrahbeger Posts: 34 Member
    I think as long as you feel well rested, you are fine. They say sleep is important for many reasons. The main ones are that when your body is tired, it craves junk food.... carbs and sugars. Also when you are tired you get hungry because your body wants the extra energy boost. Also when you are too tired it raises your stress hormone... which is not good for weight loss. But not all people NEED the full 8 hrs.... on the weekends with no alarm or reason to get up... i naturally wake up after around 6 hours feeling just fine :)
  • Leighah169
    Leighah169 Posts: 6 Member
    Zomoniac wrote: »
    I usually get about 4 on a good night. I've suffered chronic insomnia for many years, which sometimes fixes itself when everything's good, but anything in life goes slightly wrong and my body seems to have a massive overreaction and refuse to turn off. I do try, I'm usually in my bed for about 8 hours, but most of that is spent staring at the back of my eyelids, very much conscious. Probably why I plateau so often, now I think about it. The last month my fat levels have gone up, despite not really eating any more than usual, and I've been getting about 2 hours, sometimes none at all. So yeah, sleep more people!

    I am in the same position as you. I'm lucky to get 3 hours of sleep a night and often go for days with less than 2 hours of sleep. Last week was all about the chronic insomnia and I craved carbs due to the cortisol and poor judgment all resulting from sleep deprivation. I tried dragging my exhausted self through the workouts but failed to complete most of them. I recently read an article that said if you sleep less than 8 hours a night on average your BMI will be 2.1% higher than those who get the recommended amount of sleep. In addition to that it stated that people who get less than 5 to 6 hours of sleep on average lose approximately 10 years off their lifespan. I will find the article and post it. I have struggled with chronic insomnia for as long as I can remember, it runs in my family. No prescription pill or herb or amount of workouts has ever changed that for me. Have you been tested for Sleep Apnea or tried alternative methods to help ensure you get the sleep you need? I wound up getting Cancer and in my mind it had a lot to do with Stress from sleep deprivation. You are not alone in this struggle. The one thing that has recently helped me is the breathing strategy that supposedly guarantees that you will fall asleep in less than 60 seconds. It's been helping which I couldn't believe. Google it. If you can't find the information on that technique contact me if you want more info.
  • Leighah169
    Leighah169 Posts: 6 Member
    Zomoniac wrote: »
    I usually get about 4 on a good night. I've suffered chronic insomnia for many years, which sometimes fixes itself when everything's good, but anything in life goes slightly wrong and my body seems to have a massive overreaction and refuse to turn off. I do try, I'm usually in my bed for about 8 hours, but most of that is spent staring at the back of my eyelids, very much conscious. Probably why I plateau so often, now I think about it. The last month my fat levels have gone up, despite not really eating any more than usual, and I've been getting about 2 hours, sometimes none at all. So yeah, sleep more people!

    This is the breathing technique that shockingly enough has helped me to fall asleep. There are many articles on it recently. The video at the end is helpful. Here's the link.

    http://remedydaily.com/2016/05/31/fall-asleep-in-60-seconds/
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    This is purely anecdotal, but since I started losing the beginning of September, I have REALLY worked on getting at least 7 hours each night, if not 8. It's hard to tie the sleep to the weight loss because I have also been managing to my calories and weighing all my food with a good deal of success. However, before this I was getting between 5-6 hours a night and I felt sluggish and tired ALL DAY. I could barely make it through the day without a nap and would need to pump up with caffeine several times a day. Now, I have a cup of coffee in the morning, and MAYBE a black tea in the afternoon. Sometimes, I don't even need that and I definitely feel like I have enough "juice" to make it through my day. By 9pm, I am really tired (and out of calories!) so I go to bed. I typically fall asleep between 9:30 and 10 and wake up around 5:15 or 5:30. I would venture a guess that the added sleep has helped with my weight loss, but I would attribute far more of it to daily walks and CICO. However, I would attribute improvements with how my body feels and my attitude about managing my weight loss to getting more sleep each night.

    Did I mention I LOVE SLEEP?
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Leighah169 wrote: »
    Zomoniac wrote: »
    I usually get about 4 on a good night. I've suffered chronic insomnia for many years, which sometimes fixes itself when everything's good, but anything in life goes slightly wrong and my body seems to have a massive overreaction and refuse to turn off. I do try, I'm usually in my bed for about 8 hours, but most of that is spent staring at the back of my eyelids, very much conscious. Probably why I plateau so often, now I think about it. The last month my fat levels have gone up, despite not really eating any more than usual, and I've been getting about 2 hours, sometimes none at all. So yeah, sleep more people!

    This is the breathing technique that shockingly enough has helped me to fall asleep. There are many articles on it recently. The video at the end is helpful. Here's the link.

    http://remedydaily.com/2016/05/31/fall-asleep-in-60-seconds/

    YES. The breathing totally helps. I also sleep with a heating pad under my head/neck which helps with the relaxation.

    I'm also getting better about "devices off" in bed, but I'm a Netflix junkie, so when a new season of one of my shows is released, I tend to watch it at bedtime.
  • campfirequeen1
    campfirequeen1 Posts: 317 Member
    Lack of sleep will not keep you from losing weight. I have a sleep disorder and a chronic pain disorder that keeps me from sleeping and I've still managed to lose weight by counting calories and moving more. What it will do is make you too tired to deal with the stresses of changing your lifestyle, if you let it. It will skew your thinking, if you let it. I posted a thread just a few minutes ago about how lack of sleep almost derailed me, because I wasn't using my whole brain power to see the situation for what it really was. Try to get more sleep and there are lots of good suggestions here but it is possible to do it even if you can't. Send you hugs and good thoughts!
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    is there some scientific evidence on this must be well rested to lose weight claim?
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Most nights I get about 5 hours of sleep. Some nights, about once each week, I sleep 8 hours. I haven't tracked my sleep hours on a chart with my weight loss so I can't really say what comes from the data. I have lost 84 lb since January 25, so I suspect that I lose in a non-linear fashion non-correlated to sleep.
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