Go to Bed and Lose Weight!

Sure certain activities in bed have the potential to burn calories and even increase your cardio fitness, but that is not today’s topic…..

For those of us that really are not all that into traditional exercise, it might just be possible to drop a few unwanted pounds by simply going to sleep!

Have you ever pulled a late night and the next day had a case of munchies that just wouldn’t quit? Have you stayed up late at night and the next morning, found yourself eating a whole box of cereal- including the box- for breakfast then moving right along to brunch without inhaling?

Researchers are finding out that lack of sleep influences a host of conditions and hormone responses including weight gain.

Two hormones responsible for appetite control are leptin and ghrelin. Think of ghrelin as the gremlin-like hormone produced in your gastrointestinal track that turns on your appetite. Leptin is a laid-back hormone produced within your fat cells. Leptin’s job is to signal when you are full so you quit reaching for yet another handful of M & Ms after finishing the gallon of chocolate mocha ice cream!

In a perfect world, ghrelin and leptin should balance out so you eat when you are physically hungry and stop once you are full. But, it seems lack of sleep confuses the production of these tag-teaming hormones and upsets the apple cart and the bathroom scales.

Staying up late at night squashes the production of leptin. The production of leptin hormone goes to sleep when you don’t and this wakes the munching gremlin fed by an over-production of the hormone ghrelin. Remember ghrelin stimulates the appetite and leads to a serious case of hand-to-mouth disorder.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin and Stanford found in a study of 1,000 people, those who slept less had lower leptin levels, higher ghrelin levels and extra amounts of body fat. Those who slept less weighed more.

Of course, a good night’s sleep probably isn’t the key to magically dropping weight.

As one who has been engaged in the battle of the bulge for most my adult life, I know losing weight involves other factors such as stress, environment, and yes the not-so-healthy lifestyle choices I make.

Still, a good night’s sleep does make it easier to focus on staying active and choosing healthier food options the next day.

What do you think?

Does lack of sleep influence what and how much you eat?

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