Lose Weight While You Sleep

Lose Weight While You Sleep

Did you know that insufficient sleep is seen to be directly associated with weight gain and obesity?   

So before you pay for that new gym membership to start off your 2020.   Consider giving yourself permission to sleep and commit some time and energy to improving your sleep quantity and quality by making some changes.

I am thinking if you are like me you have probably been enjoying the festive season and staying up later.  This can have a significant impact on our circadian rhythm / sleep cycle.

Disruption to this system and lack of sleep can affect our caloric intake and increase consumption of unhealthy foods.  Alterations in appetite regulation can also affect our hormone production and regulation  while promoting weight gain.1,2.

Following is a full list of effects of short sleep duration compiled from Bioconcepts Research.

Short sleep duration in humans has been shown to: 3

• Shift the balance of reward and impulse control toward enhanced reward and impaired executive functioning and impulse control

• Increase stress and activate the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis

• Decrease leptin levels

• Increase ghrelin levels

• Decrease Glucagon-like peptide-1 levels

• Increase the opportunity to eat

• Delay and enhance the endocannabinoid signaling pathway

Each of these pathways has been shown to increase food intake in human study participants.3

Additionally, while an unhealthy diet, obesity and poor sleep appear to be a vicious cycle, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis concluded short sleep as a causal factor driving obesity risk.4

It also doesn’t hurt to hydrate well, eat your greens, move your body, plan your meals, track your symptoms, snack smart, remove sugary triggers from your pantry and solidify your new health routine commitments with a friend. But perhaps getting your 7-8 hours of sleep a night could be a more relaxing approach to your new year and could prove to be a more effective weight loss tool in the long run.

If you are struggling with sleep here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Love Thy Health ARTICLE: Good sleep & How to Get it.

Make a time to see me to support you to find a cause for your sleep issues. To discuss herbal and supplemental interventions to support better sleep quality and quantity.

Christine Carley is a bachelor qualified naturopath, with a focus on women’s health and wellness. She passionately supports her clients with, fertility and IVF optimisation, menopause and hormonal health as well as gut health. She spent most of her early clinical practice working with people with chronic and complex autoimmune condition, whilst working in a clinic with cardiologist, psychologists, podiatrist and allied health professionals. She loves assisting those stress, anxiety, fatigue and sleep. She is a passionate health ambassador who takes a holistic, person centred approach to the wellness model of health.

Book an appointment or free online discovery call here: LOVE THY HEALTH or call 0409027221

*National and International Telehealth available

References

1. Isaac Smith, Katherine Saed, M.-P. S.-O. Sleep and food intake. in Sleep and Health (ed. Grandner, M. A.) 243–255 (Elsevier, 2019).

2. Kelly Glazer Baron, E. C. Sleep and healthy decision making. in Sleep and Health (ed. Grandner, M. A.) 359–369 (Elsevier, 2019).

3. Spaeth, A. M. Insufficient sleep and obesity. in Sleep and Health (ed. Grandner, M. A.) 189–201 (Elsevier, 2019).

4. Patrice L. Capers, Aaron D. Fobian, Kathryn A. Kaiser, Rohit Borah, and D. & B.Allison. A systematic Review and meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials of the impact of Sleep Duration on ADiposity and Components of Energy Balance. Obes. Rev. 9, 771–782 (2015).

Good Sleep & How to Get it

Our busy lives mean that we are constantly on the go. We juggle many tasks and responsibilities, and strive to be as productive as possible. Does this sound like you?

It is estimated that around 50% of adults experience occasional insomnia, with approximately 10% of adults suffering from chronic insomnia.

In an age where being busy has become trendy, the importance of sleep is often forgotten. We all know that we need to sleep, but it pays to stop and consider the quality of your sleep as well as the quantity.

Sleep is not just about resting. It is during sleep when your body excretes growth hormone and melatonin levels rise – this leads to tissue regeneration and antioxidant activity respectively. When you are asleep, your body resets its metabolism, regenerates bone and connective tissue, regenerates your liver, breaks down fat stores, and supports blood sugar regulation. A lack of sleep causes an imbalance of cortisol levels and even alters your appetite hormones, meaning that you are more likely to overeat during the day.

Not getting enough quality sleep, therefore, is associated with many conditions including diabetes and obesity, imbalanced cholesterol and triglycerides, increased cardiovascular risk, accelerated ageing, poor concentration and memory, lowered immune function, stress, irritability, anxiety, depression and low mood.

There is good news though, as fortunately there’s a lot that can be done in terms of lifestyle to support good sleep.

What can you do?

·      In the evening, dim the lights and stop using screens (computers, tablets mobiles) at least 30mins to one hour before bedtime – this is very important as blue light stops your body producing melatonin.  Read a non-electronic paper book or novel – something relaxing or journaling.

·      Include good quality protein in each meal – this helps your body produce neurotransmitters to support good mood and good sleep

·      Avoid alcohol if you experience sleep problems

·      Magnesium and potassium rice foods can help relax the body – A little avocado or organic yoghurt.

·      Don’t eat a too close to bedtime – finish your last meal of the day by 2 hours before bedtime to give your digestive system a rest

·      Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks after lunchtime

·      Have a cup of herbal tea after dinner – for example chamomile, lemon balm or passionflower

·      Go to bed and rise around the same time each day – this ensures your body gets into a rhythm and you may not even need an alarm clock to wake you in the mornings

·      Move your body daily – exercise is as important for good sleep as it is for overall health

·      Make sure you are exposed to sunlight during the day – this supports your circadian rhythms and helps you produce the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin, which is then converted to the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin

·      Wind down before going to bed – you may like to have a bath or read a good book

·      Make sure your bedroom is dark and not too hot

·      Write down any worries in a journal before going to bed, so that you can put them out of your mind

·      Have a relaxing lavender essential oil bath 1 hour before bed

·      Make sure you have a comfortable supportive bed.

How can a naturopath help?

Naturopaths are well equipped to support your sleep. They can:

-       Identify any underlying causes of poor sleep – this can include health conditions, medications, stress & lifestyle factors etc

-       Prescribe an appropriate magnesium

-       Prescribe a tailored liquid herbal remedy to ease restlessness, anxiety etc and promote good sleep

-       Prescribe homeopathic melatonin if indicated

-       Advise you on what further foods to eat to support good sleep

If you have trouble falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or wake unrefreshed, get in touch to find out more about how I can help you.

Wishing you good rest and sweet dreams!

Christine

Naturopath BHlthSc. (Nat) NHAA ECNH

If you are struggling with sleep difficulties, please call me I’m happy to help you.

If you would like to read more about natural ways to reduce insomnia - you can goto Snoozy Monk

Christine Carley is a bachelor qualified naturopath, with a focus on women’s health and wellness. She passionately supports her clients with, fertility and IVF optimisation, menopause and hormonal health as well as gut health. She spent most of her early clinical practice working with people with chronic and complex autoimmune condition, whilst working in a clinic with cardiologist, psychologists, podiatrist and allied health professionals. She loves assisting those stress, anxiety, fatigue and sleep. She is a passionate health ambassador who takes a holistic, person centred approach to the wellness model of health.

Book an appointment or free online discovery call here: LOVE THY HEALTH or call 0409027221

*National and International Telehealth available

For more on her retreats and holistic wellness program touch here:

FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM

or call (61+) 0409027221

Click to make a booking:

Western Health Collective, West Footscray 9687 5670

Love Thy Health, West Footscray  0409 027 221

This article provides general information and is not intended to constitute advice.  All care is taken to ensure information is accurate and relevant.  Please see your practitioner for personalised health treatments and advice.