Do you find yourself reaching for a large latte or two to get you through the day?! Or have you been tempted to skip a workout because you're too tired and get take away for dinner? Well this can not only explain the reason why are you are struggling to lose weight but may cause you to be less motivated to get moving!
Ensuring you get enough shut-eye is as important to your health, well-being and your weight as are diet and exercise! Achieving less than seven hours of sleep per night can reduce and undo some of benefits from weight loss. As when you have a “sleepy” brain it ultimately sets your brain up to make poor decisions, therefore dulling the activity into the brain's frontal lobe that is in charge of decision-making and impulse control! (TIP: Don’t do your weekly grocery shopping on little sleep!!)
Other than the effect on your brain function, insufficient sleep can affect your levels of insulin. Insulin regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein by promoting the absorption of, especially, glucose from the blood into fat, liver and skeletal muscle cells. So when insulin is functional well, the fat cells remove fatty acids and lipids from your bloodstream and prevent storage. BUT if you consistently don’t allow yourself enough sleep you will become more insulin resistant eventually leading to excess insulin which ends up as stored fat in all the wrong places!!
Enough of the fact and onto some tips to help you ensure you get at least 7 hours of sleep!
