sleep = exercise = weight loss

Mangoaddict · January 2009

Sleep + exercise + a healthy diet = weight loss

We often forget that sleep is as important to weight loss as diet and exercise. More and more research suggests that getting a good night's sleep is crucial for losing weight. I experienced lack of sleep last night and my whole day was like out of whack because of lack of sleep. I am going to take this more seriously and I think this is a lesson for us all! :ohwell:

The article :- Don’t think snoozing a few hours longer each night will solve a weight problem. It won’t. Exercising and eating healthfully is still the way to go. But, lack of shut-eye may soon be considered another risk factor for obesity. Especially since 65 percent of Americans are overweight and 63 percent of people don’t get eight hours of sleep a night. Interestingly, many of those who are overweight also don’t sleep enough.
One thing does seem to be clear. When your body is not hungry for sleep, it won’t be so hungry for food either.

Mangoaddict · January 2009

Sleep + exercise + a healthy diet = weight loss

We often forget that sleep is as important to weight loss as diet and exercise. More and more research suggests that getting a good night's sleep is crucial for losing weight. I experienced lack of sleep last night and my whole day was like out of whack because of lack of sleep. I am going to take this more seriously and I think this is a lesson for us all! :ohwell:

The article :- Don’t think snoozing a few hours longer each night will solve a weight problem. It won’t. Exercising and eating healthfully is still the way to go. But, lack of shut-eye may soon be considered another risk factor for obesity. Especially since 65 percent of Americans are overweight and 63 percent of people don’t get eight hours of sleep a night. Interestingly, many of those who are overweight also don’t sleep enough.
One thing does seem to be clear. When your body is not hungry for sleep, it won’t be so hungry for food either.

Mangoaddict · January 2009

The Dream Diet: Losing Weight While You Sleep

Can more sleep really help us control our weight? Three top experts explore the possibilities.
By Colette Bouchez

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Leonard J. Sonne, MD

Lose weight while you sleep. It sounds like something you'd hear on a late night infomercial -- just around the time you are reaching for that bag of cookies because, well, you can't sleep.

But as wild as the idea sounds, substantial medical evidence suggests some fascinating links between sleep and weight. Researchers say that how much you sleep and quite possibility the quality of your sleep may silently orchestrate a symphony of hormonal activity tied to your appetite.

"One of the more interesting ideas that has been smoldering and is now gaining momentum is the appreciation of the fact that sleep and sleep disruption do remarkable things to the body -- including possibly influencing our weight," says David Rapoport, MD, associate professor and director of the Sleep Medicine Program at the New York University School of Medicine in New York City.

While doctors have long known that many hormones are affected by sleep, Rapoport says it wasn't until recently that appetite entered the picture. What brought it into focus, he says, was research on the hormones leptin and ghrelin. First, doctors say that both can influence our appetite. And studies show that production of both may be influenced by how much or how little we sleep.

In fact, have you ever experienced a sleepless night followed by a day when no matter what you ate you never felt full or satisfied? If so, then you have experienced the workings of leptin and ghrelin.

How Hormones Affect Your Sleep
Leptin and ghrelin work in a kind of "checks and balances" system to control feelings of hunger and fullness, explains Michael Breus, PhD, a faculty member of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and director of The Sleep Disorders Centers of Southeastern Lung Care in Atlanta. Ghrelin, which is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates appetite, while leptin, produced in fat cells, sends a signal to the brain when you are full.

So what's the connection to sleep? "When you don't get enough sleep, it drives leptin levels down, which means you don't feel as satisfied after you eat. Lack of sleep also causes ghrelin levels to rise, which means your appetite is stimulated, so you want more food," Breus tells WebMD.

The two combined, he says, can set the stage for overeating, which in turn may lead to weight gain.

Studies: Those Who Sleep Less Often Weigh More
How the hormones leptin and ghrelin set the stage for overeating was recently explored in two studies conducted at the University of Chicago in Illinois and at Stanford University in California.

In the Chicago study, doctors measured levels of leptin and ghrelin in 12 healthy men. They also noted their hunger and appetite levels. Soon after, the men were subjected to two days of sleep deprivation followed by two days of extended sleep. During this time doctors continued to monitor hormone levels, appetite, and activity.

Mangoaddict · January 2009

Can more sleep really help us control our weight? Three top experts explore the possibilities. (continued)
Studies: Those Who Sleep Less Often Weigh More continued...
The end result: When sleep was restricted, leptin levels went down and ghrelin levels went up. Not surprisingly, the men's appetite also increased proportionally. Their desire for high carbohydrate, calorie-dense foods increased by a whopping 45%.

It was in the Stanford study, however, that the more provocative meaning of the leptin-ghrelin effect came to light. In this research -- a joint project between Stanford and the University of Wisconsin -- about 1,000 volunteers reported the number of hours they slept each night. Doctors then measured their levels of ghrelin and leptin, as well as charted their weight.

The result: Those who slept less than eight hours a night not only had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin, but they also had a higher level of body fat. What's more, that level of body fat seemed to correlate with their sleep patterns. Specifically, those who slept the fewest hours per night weighed the most.

Eating and Sleep Apnea: The New Connection
As a result of these and other studies, researchers began to theorize that getting more sleep just might be the answer to society's burgeoning waistline. But before you trade the cost of your gym membership for a pricey new mattress, take note: Experts also say the relationship is not as obvious as it seems.

The reason: Enter the somewhat mysterious nocturnal ailment known as "obstructive sleep apnea." People with sleep apnea may stop breathing for up to a minute, sometimes hundreds of times during the night while sleeping, says Dominic Roca, MD, director of the Connecticut Center for Sleep Medicine at Stamford Hospital.

Though the exact cause of the problem remains unknown, Roca and others believe that in most instances physical abnormalities inside the mouth and neck cause the soft tissue in the rear of the throat to collapse. This briefly closes off air passages many times during a night, causing disruption in breathing and a tendency to snore.

The end result: Although you may go to bed early and think you are getting a good night's rest, the disruption in breathing prevents you from getting deep sleep. Eight hours of disrupted shut eye can leave you feeling like you had only four.

"You wake up feeling tired and continue to feel tired all day," Roca tells WebMD.

The Link Between Sleep Apnea and Weight
So what does sleep apnea have to do with weight gain?

First, says Roca, patients who suffer from sleep apnea are more likely to be obese. However, studies show they do not have the usual low leptin levels associated with being overweight. In fact, Roca says that folks with sleep apnea have uncharacteristically high levels of leptin.

What's more, when their apnea is treated, leptin levels drop -- and somehow that helps them to lose weight.

suprjewels · January 2009

Thank you! I've had insomnia for years and this makes perfect sense. I only slept about 4 hours last night and haven't been full all day. I've fought it and have worked out hard to try to counter balance it. It has also happened more often. I will try to focus even more on my sleep than I already do.

heal4444 · January 2009

Oh absolutely. This is a very good thread. My sleeping habits are so bad.
On days when my sleep schedule is all over the place. I don't feel like exercising and I eat way too much and only want to eat junk. On days when my sleep is very good and consistent, I do everything more healthily... I eat a healthy breakfast, control my portions, exercise regularly, no emotional eating.

You're so right. Good sleep habits is the cornerstone of weight loss. It gives the body good recovery time. Tks for the reminder. Now, if only I could stick to a good sleep schedule. The toughest thing to do. :yawn:

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ohthatbambi · January 2009

This is a problem for me b/c I am a night owl. I admit it and I know it is something I need to change. Last night I actually went to bed before midnight but I woke up at 3 and was up for 1.5 hours before I could get tired enough to go back to sleep and then I was up at 7:30. I guess I am just going to have to start being more disciplined about it and force myself to hit the hay!

heal4444 · January 2009

Yeah, I'm such a nightowl. I'm a middle of the night owl. Food tastes so much better at that time. Not to mention how nice and quiet with no interruptions, noise, etc to get distracted. Know what you mean. It's such a bad habit to break. I sometimes, will be having a really disciplined good sleep schedule and then, it's back to my old sleeping pattern within days.

sleep = exercise = weight loss

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