Weight Gain? Blame the lack of sleep.

We have all experienced lack of sleep at some point in our lives. While some of us are lucky enough to experience it for a short time only, most of us live with sleep deprivation. The reasons for the lack of sleep are many. We work till late night but still have to wake up early for work or school. We try to balance our social and professional lives by attending those social gatherings in the evening or at night. Or sometimes, it’s simply stress which doesn't allow us to fall asleep.

But guess what? Sleep deprivation may be causing us more harm than we think. Not sleeping enough obviously leaves us feeling at our worst throughout the day but it also contributes to weight gain! A 1999 study by scientists at the University of Chicago found that building up a sleep debt over a matter of days can impair metabolism and disrupt hormone levels.

It has been proven that people who sleep less actually eat more. These people find it necessary to have snacks during the day to boost their energy levels which are normally low due to the lack of sleep. They are also less inclined to carry out a workout or exercise of any kind because they do not feel like their body is ready for it. Moreover, the lack of sleep slows down your metabolism. This means that you burn fewer calories throughout your day. The sleep deprivation causes your body to use less energy for simple tasks like breathing and eating. It also goes without saying that staying up at night makes us more apt to have late night snacks only within hours of sleeping. Our body is not designed to take in food at that time. This leads to calories retention and thus weight gain.

How much should you sleep?

While this varies from person to person, researchers suggest that between 7 to 8 hours of sleep should be enough for an adult. For children and teens, it might go up to 9 hours.

How to prevent the weight gain due to sleep deprivation? 

This is a frequently asked question and these two tips may help.

• Never sleep right after dinner – Lying on the couch will only make your drowsy and will not give enough time to your body to digest the food. Instead, try taking a walk, washing the dishes, getting clothes ready for the next day or simply call a friend. Just don’t sleep!
• Have a regular bedtime – This will allow you to sleep better, get enough sleep and make your schedule around your sleeping hours instead or doing things the other way round.

In short, you should ensure that you have enough hours of sleep, you eat right and you exercise regularly. It might be challenging at first but once you get used to the routine, you’ll soon find that it is the way to a good life. Do not let sleep deprivation ruin your weight loss efforts. It’s not worth it.

If you still experience problems sleeping well or getting enough sleep, I would recommend you do read "THE SLEEP BOOK". Say Goodbye to Insomnia with the highly effective 5 weeks, drug-free plan sleep. Dr. Guy shares his unique 5 week plan to cure your problems whether it's a few nights or a lifetime of insomnia.