Stress eating is a common side effect of being cooped up inside for most of the year, making weight reduction difficult. So, who wouldn’t be happy to learn about some simple methods for increasing calorie expenditure and aiding in weight loss?
It’s important to eat healthily and exercise regularly, but there are certain ways to maximize your sleep for fat loss. If you think it’s impossible, think again. A growing body of evidence suggests that you may lose weight while you sleep. A new study from the National Sleep Foundation shows that the normal circadian rhythms that our bodies generally follow are being disrupted by modern living. In fact, it’s possible that this disturbance is causing the body to store fat when it shouldn’t.
1. Get enough sleep.
Getting adequate sleep is the first step in improving your sleep for weight reduction. As a sleep researcher at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Dr. Richard K. Bogan claims that a good night’s sleep is a good way to lose weight. “Sleep is necessary for normal body hormone and immune system function. A sleep-deprived or sleepy brain is a hungry brain,” he said. “Poor sleep leads to weight gain.”
For the ordinary adult, he advocated for a regular sleep pattern and recommended that they should get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.
2. Don’t be a cardio junky.
The benefits of cardio are many, and it should be a component of a person’s total fitness strategy. Strength exercise, on the other hand, should be included, particularly for those hoping to lose weight at night. This is due to the fact that strength training continues to burn calories even after the workout has ended. It is possible to burn calories all night long, even after going to bed, with simple strength training at home.
Dumbbells and resistance bands may serve as visible reminders to include full-body strength exercise at least three times per week into your daily routine. Glutes and legs should be worked, as well as the arms, back, and core.
3. Do bodyweight exercises.
Don’t have a gym or dumbbells to work with? Strength training using just one’s own bodyweight is accessible to everyone. Before going to sleep, do 10 squats and maintain a plank for 30 seconds. It’s also possible to walk around the house one lunge at a time, followed by five minutes of modified pushups on the knees.
4. Add hand or ankle weights to your walk.
Pick up a set of 1- to 3-pound dumbbells or put on some ankle weights to transform your daily stroll into a strength training and aerobic exercise at the same time, and you won’t even miss it. Gaining muscle and burning fat are both dependent on strength training, so adding weightlifting to your routine whenever you can helps you burn more calories throughout the day (yes, even when you sleep).
5. Forward fold for 5 minutes.
Anxiety and tension may be relieved via the practice of certain yoga postures. In bed, try sitting up straight with your legs extended out in front of you and then hunching forward at your hips for a few minutes. As you inhale and exhale, feel a stretch in the backs of your legs (known as hamstrings). Flex your feet and feel a melting sensation in your legs. Before going to sleep, do this to assist relax your nervous system and getting a better night’s rest.
6. Sleep in a cooler and darker environment.
Small studies have shown that persons who maintain their bedrooms at 66 degrees for one month had an increase in brown fat, which burns calories, of up to 42%, and an increase in metabolic rate of 10%. If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, a room that’s too hot might be the blame. At 65 degrees, Bogan advised setting your thermostat.
Getting rid of the night light might help you lose weight as you sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, people who sleep with a light on are more likely to gain weight because the circadian control of metabolism is disrupted. Put out any night lights, including the TV, phone, and bedroom lamps, and consider getting some blackout curtains to keep out light from the outside world.
7. Eat on a schedule.
SpoonGuru nutritionist Charlotte Harrison, who is based in London, suggested that people maintain a regular schedule for eating and sleeping. “Our body runs on a circadian rhythm, which is the 24-hour schedule our bodies use to help us to function. It’s the body’s internal clock,” she explained. “Mealtimes have a lot of influence on our circadian rhythm, so scheduling our food is very important. For example, if your body is used to eating between 6-8 p.m. then it knows when to prepare for incoming food by releasing the ‘hunger hormones,’ ghrelin and leptin, digesting the meal, and then releasing the hormone melatonin to help us wind down for sleep. If we keep to the same rough schedule then our body can be prepared, and we can really get the most out of our meal and sleep times.”
8. Eat a small dinner.
“Breakfast, lunch, and supper are the three meals of the day,” according to an ancient proverb. There is some truth to it after all. In order to get the most out of your sleep, avoid eating a large meal just before night. A smaller supper and a bigger breakfast can help you lose weight. Also, limit your munching to the early hours of the day and late at night.
Eat a light meal before going to bed if you have heartburn, according to Harrison, since this might keep you awake. “Even just the digestion process is enough to keep you awake at night,” she explained. Study participants who ate a late-night snack broke down less fat than those who ate the same number of calories earlier in the day. So, have a modest, light meal, but don’t skip breakfast the next day.
9. Don’t drink before bed.
Limiting your use of alcohol and other drugs might affect your sleep, therefore Bogan advised you to do the same (not to mention easily adding a few hundred calories to your daily total). Even while an evening cocktail may seem like the perfect way to wind down, even one alcoholic drink might reduce the body’s capacity to burn calories before going to sleep. This is due to the fact that the body is instead attempting to break down the alcohol instead of burning fat. It’s OK to have a glass of wine with supper, but no more.
10. Eat protein all day long.
Every few hours, give your body a dose of protein to keep blood sugar levels stable. In addition, this boosts the body’s metabolic rate throughout the day and night. For developing muscle and reducing overeating and the need to graze on processed foods that are high in empty calories, protein is an essential part of a healthy diet.
As a co-founder of Huel.com (a healthy food brand), UK-based nutritionist James Collier claimed the body can only use 30 to 35 grams of protein in one session. If you want to bulk up, eating protein at every meal is a must. You can always count on lean meats like chicken and turkey breast, while plant-based alternatives like beans, quinoa, almond, and edamame may bring variety and fiber to your meals (another important nutrient that fills you up and aids in weight loss).
11. Banish electronics from the bedroom.
All blue light gadgets, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones, must be turned off if you want to reduce weight quickly. The body’s generation of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin is hampered when exposed to the blue light they all generate at night, according to research. The disturbance of the body’s fat-burning ability may lead to weight gain, according to a Northwestern University study that found that exposure to blue light at night increased appetite and insulin resistance.
12. Go to bed earlier.
Going to bed early might help you get a good night’s sleep, despite the fact that you’ll have less time in the evenings to walk about the home and eat. A cool, dark, and distraction-free bedroom are essential if you have trouble sleeping or staying asleep. The thermostat should be set at 65 degrees and your phone should be out of the room.
Relax by reading a book on your bedside table. Going to bed earlier may help you lose weight since it gives your body more time to sleep and adjust to its natural circadian cycle.
