So I'm an insomniac and a night owl. No matter how tired I am during the day my mind and sometimes my body comes alive (or something). I've read numerous articles ( & still read) that adequate sleep is necessary for successful weight loss. My post on sleep emphasized how important adequate sleep truly is.
On an average I get about 5-6 hours during the week sometimes less and 8 hours or more on weekends. I used to pride myself on my ability to stay up, get up early and work as if I had gotten the requisite hours of rest. Can't believe I'm about to say this but I'm getting older so I can't "bleach" like I used to.
So I've decided to challenge myself for a week where this sleeping thing is concerned. My sleep challenge started October 20, 2013 and ended October 26, 2013. Here goes my week:
Night 1
The first night I managed to go to bed at a decent hour. I went to bed to ten but I fell asleep somewhere between 10 and 10.30 pm. I woke up for a bathroom break and I eventually got up at 7 am. I felt seriously well rested. I'm glad I got eight hours of rest. It made me mellow, calm for the rest of the day
Night 2
Hmmmm. Night 2 did not go as planned as at 12.44 am I was still wide awake typing away on this post. Lol. Anyway, I got myself ready for bed, lights off, laptop off, teeth brushed. Sleep here I come. I honestly think I would have been in bed already but I don't have work tomorrow. Yay!!
Night 3
So ummmm yes. Night 3 pretty much went the same as Night 2. I went to bed earlier though :).
So Night 4, 5, 6 and 7 were all misses. I think that being on vacation did not help matters at all. I was able to stay up late and wake up late which enabled me to get eight hours or more of sleep. Yay!
I am now back at work and missing those days.
I am still trying to go to bed earlier and I have revised my sleep time by cutting down a little at a time instead of such a drastic step. I have decided to try this sleep challenge again. I want to make sleep a regular habit and an important part of my get fit/get healthy programme.
Keep y'all posted.
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Saturday, 19 October 2013
Sleep: a super important ingredient
As I proceed on my get fit/get healthy journey I think it is absolutely necessary (prudent too) to read and absorb information that will significantly help me in achieving my goals. So I'm reading and I read and I read some more (on everything really regarding getting fit, getting healthy, etc) and I come across an article (can't remember where though) advising, telling, preaching (basically rubbing it in) that sleep is super important in this whole get fit/ get healthy journey. I search or rather Googled this topic of sleep and it became increasingly apparent that sleep is quite important. I found this amazing article on www.shape.com (actual link - Why Sleep is the No. 1 Most Important Thing for a Better Body) that actually shed a lot of light on this whole sleeping matter. The article was truly an eye opener. I also think it is well written as it thoroughly explored the topic of why sleep is so important to weight loss and overall self improvement.
The second consequence highlights how poor sleeping habits changes your fat cells. When I don't get enough rest I am very groggy, listless, exhausted, frustrated, cranky, grumpy....... I could go on all day. Mi miserableness tun up!!! (my friends can attest to this behaviour). With my lack of rest it seems not only my brain and body feels tired but apparently my fat cells are tired too. On top of this my metabolism sloooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwsssssssss down. No wonder the scale nah move. Sigh............ When you're sleep deprived the ability for one to properly use insulin (which is the master storage hormone) becomes completely disrupted. This is bad because this disruption causes one to become more insulin resistant and as such fats circulate in the blood and pump out insulin. This excess insulin ends up storing fat in all the wrong places. As a result weight loss becomes harder and diseases like diabetes occur.
And if that last point wasn't scary enough it get worse. Lack of rest makes you crave food. So true!! Take today for example (Oct 12, 2013) I went to bed this morning at about 12.30 (am of course!) and I was up by 7.30 or earlier. It's possible that it was earlier cause I felt exhausted same way. I woke up hungry and felt/got hungrier quicker all day long - no matter what I ate. The writer of the article continues by saying that contrary to popular belief hunger is not related to willpower and learning to control the call of your stomach. Hunger is actually controlled by two hormones: leptin & ghrelin. I don't know about you guys but ah di first mi hear bout these two. Anyhoo, I "Googled" these two just to get more info and truly understand their respective roles in the whole weight loss journey. Leptin is a hormone that is produced in your fat cells. The less leptin that is produced the hungrier you feel. Ghrelin, if produced in a large quantity, will increase hunger pangs while reducing the amount of calories burnt (i.e. your metabolism rate) and increasing the amount of fat stored (You're getting fatter!). Finding an appropriate balance for both hormones is essential to one's success in losing weight. Lack of sleep will undoubtedly wreak havoc with these hormones which will then wreak havoc on your "dieting". So let's be clear - MORE LEPTIN, LESS GHRELIN!
And if that wasn't bad enough scientists have determined exactly how sleep loss creates an internal battle that makes it quite impossible to lose weight. Inadequate rest causes your cortisol level to increase (the stress hormone that is associated with fat gain). Cortisol also activates the reward centres in the brain that makes you want food. So the cortisol is now on the rise due to lack of sleep - remember that this also cause ghrelin to increase. Keep in mind that increased ghrelin stimulates more hunger, reduces your metabolism and increases the fat stored in your body (more weight gain). With both ghrelin and cortisol working side by side (lol) together they shut down the area of the brain that signals satisfaction after the consumption of a meal. With this shut down your satisfaction level practically disappears and you are hungry all the time even after eating a big meal.
If you think that it stops there - eh eh - you are in for a rude awakening. Lack of sleep pretty much impairs your ability to make complex decisions and is likely to push you towards consuming foods that run contrary to the healthy lifestyle you wish to lead. And if that doesn't change your approach try this one on for size - literally. Your food portions increase as well as your desire for high calorie foods.
So let's digest this - indequate sleep impairs your decision making especially those decisions involving the consumption of the wrong (unhealthy) foods, you eat more of said foods which means more weight gain.
The next and final consequence appeals to common sense - sleep sabotages gym time. The fallout of sleep deprivation continues to wreak havoc beyond one's diet and into your workouts. No matter what your fitness goals are, having some muscle on your body is important. Muscles is the enemy of fat as it helps you to burn fat and stay young. Lack of sleep, therefore, is the enemy of muscle. Brazilian scientists found that sleep debt (Sleep debt is the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep) decreases protein synthesis (your body's ability to make muscle), causes muscle loss, and can lead to a higher incidence of injuries.
Adequate rest helps your body to recover from exercise as sleep deprivation slows down the production of growth hormone (which is your natural source of anti-aging and fat burning which also facilitates recovery). Lack of sleep affects the body's recovery in two ways:
I have spent so much time on this post, reading this article and many others like this one. As I read it becomes exceedingly clear that sleep is an important ingredient in any weight loss/fit/healthy living (permanent) lifestyle. A minimum of seven hours is needed as less than that results in the negative effects mentioned above. Sleep aids weight gain, unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits which overall hinders one's overall self improvement. Sleep should be priority at all times.
This article definitely opened my eyes to this sleeping matter. It made me truly realise that if I do not align my priorities and make sleep a part of my daily routine I will fail miserably in my get fit/get healthy journey. I will fail to lose weight; I will fail in improving myself in all the other areas (mentally, economically, all the -allys). My constant sleep deprived state will ultimately lead to me making ill-fated decisions regarding my present and my past.
I know that making sleep is a priority. I also know I can't keep putting it off. Adequate rest is a must! My typical bedtime hour is between 11 pm and 1 am (during the week at least). I am up by 6 am to get ready for work. I am usually feel tired, groggy too and I struggle to wake up and get going. This is usually a frequent occurrence (more like every morning). I have been trying a lot lately to go to bed early but as usual something or someone is there to distract me and I end up going to bed once again at my usual time. Well no more! I am giving "getting adequate rest" a shot. This is my newest challenge. So with the new things/foods/workouts I'm trying out in order to make being fit and healthy a permanent lifestyle change I have decided to challenge myself to a week of going to my bed early (at least early for me). My new bedtime will be between the hour of 9 and 10 pm (the latest being 10.15). My challenge, Operation Sleepy Time, officially begins on Sunday, October 20, 2013. I'm not sure this is a wise move as Monday is a holiday and there is no work (Yay!!) Anyway, I intend to try for exactly one week. Keep y'all posted............
It is very ironic cause in compiling and completing this post as I got very little sleep while doing it. This I will rectify with "Operation Sleepy Time".
My sources for this post included:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/74796-sleep-important-weight-loss/
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/why-sleep-no-1-most-important-thing-better-body
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/lose-weight-through-better-sleep
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=129&page=2
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/why-sleep-is-key-for-weight-loss.html
Information can never be too much. So read so more and educate yourself more. Happy sleeping!!
The article (the link above) addresses the topic by highlighting five consequences of sleep loss. The writer (Adam Bornstein) initially talks about how sleep controls one's diet. At first I was like really, really now? How could sleep possibly control my diet? I'm not doing anything in my sleep except well sleep! Mr. Bornstein cites varying sources for his article including information from the Center (I spell this Centre cause I use UK English) for Disease Control & Prevention. He also cites information from published research papers such Annals of Internal Medicine, Nature Communications - just to name a few. Anyway, I digress. I was talking about how sleep controls one's diet. Ideally I think the best way to lose weight is to eat healthier and exercise consistently. Don't get me wrong eating healthier still has to be done in moderation as you still have to watch your intake. So ideally, for me at least, I try to limit my daily calorie intake to 1800 calories or less and exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes for at least three to six days a week. With all that said I seriously couldn't imagine how sleep controls my diet. I honestly have never factored the importance of sleeping into the whole mix of things. I figured if I got some sleep (whether it was enough or not) I'd still be able to function (even though lately it seems not to be the case). It seems that sleeping less than seven hours per night (which is often for me) can reduce and undo any benefits of dieting. When adequate rest is achieved half of the weight lost is from fat. When sleep is inadequate less weight is lost despite any change in diet and exercise regime Furthermore, hunger pangs increase, meals become less satisfying and there is absolutely no energy to exercise. I read this paragraph over and over and realised that this was very true. I could honestly relate.
The second consequence highlights how poor sleeping habits changes your fat cells. When I don't get enough rest I am very groggy, listless, exhausted, frustrated, cranky, grumpy....... I could go on all day. Mi miserableness tun up!!! (my friends can attest to this behaviour). With my lack of rest it seems not only my brain and body feels tired but apparently my fat cells are tired too. On top of this my metabolism sloooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwsssssssss down. No wonder the scale nah move. Sigh............ When you're sleep deprived the ability for one to properly use insulin (which is the master storage hormone) becomes completely disrupted. This is bad because this disruption causes one to become more insulin resistant and as such fats circulate in the blood and pump out insulin. This excess insulin ends up storing fat in all the wrong places. As a result weight loss becomes harder and diseases like diabetes occur.
And if that last point wasn't scary enough it get worse. Lack of rest makes you crave food. So true!! Take today for example (Oct 12, 2013) I went to bed this morning at about 12.30 (am of course!) and I was up by 7.30 or earlier. It's possible that it was earlier cause I felt exhausted same way. I woke up hungry and felt/got hungrier quicker all day long - no matter what I ate. The writer of the article continues by saying that contrary to popular belief hunger is not related to willpower and learning to control the call of your stomach. Hunger is actually controlled by two hormones: leptin & ghrelin. I don't know about you guys but ah di first mi hear bout these two. Anyhoo, I "Googled" these two just to get more info and truly understand their respective roles in the whole weight loss journey. Leptin is a hormone that is produced in your fat cells. The less leptin that is produced the hungrier you feel. Ghrelin, if produced in a large quantity, will increase hunger pangs while reducing the amount of calories burnt (i.e. your metabolism rate) and increasing the amount of fat stored (You're getting fatter!). Finding an appropriate balance for both hormones is essential to one's success in losing weight. Lack of sleep will undoubtedly wreak havoc with these hormones which will then wreak havoc on your "dieting". So let's be clear - MORE LEPTIN, LESS GHRELIN!
And if that wasn't bad enough scientists have determined exactly how sleep loss creates an internal battle that makes it quite impossible to lose weight. Inadequate rest causes your cortisol level to increase (the stress hormone that is associated with fat gain). Cortisol also activates the reward centres in the brain that makes you want food. So the cortisol is now on the rise due to lack of sleep - remember that this also cause ghrelin to increase. Keep in mind that increased ghrelin stimulates more hunger, reduces your metabolism and increases the fat stored in your body (more weight gain). With both ghrelin and cortisol working side by side (lol) together they shut down the area of the brain that signals satisfaction after the consumption of a meal. With this shut down your satisfaction level practically disappears and you are hungry all the time even after eating a big meal.
If you think that it stops there - eh eh - you are in for a rude awakening. Lack of sleep pretty much impairs your ability to make complex decisions and is likely to push you towards consuming foods that run contrary to the healthy lifestyle you wish to lead. And if that doesn't change your approach try this one on for size - literally. Your food portions increase as well as your desire for high calorie foods.
So let's digest this - indequate sleep impairs your decision making especially those decisions involving the consumption of the wrong (unhealthy) foods, you eat more of said foods which means more weight gain.
The next and final consequence appeals to common sense - sleep sabotages gym time. The fallout of sleep deprivation continues to wreak havoc beyond one's diet and into your workouts. No matter what your fitness goals are, having some muscle on your body is important. Muscles is the enemy of fat as it helps you to burn fat and stay young. Lack of sleep, therefore, is the enemy of muscle. Brazilian scientists found that sleep debt (Sleep debt is the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep) decreases protein synthesis (your body's ability to make muscle), causes muscle loss, and can lead to a higher incidence of injuries.
Adequate rest helps your body to recover from exercise as sleep deprivation slows down the production of growth hormone (which is your natural source of anti-aging and fat burning which also facilitates recovery). Lack of sleep affects the body's recovery in two ways:
- Firstly, sleep loss means less slow wave sleep. It is during this sleep phase that the most of the growth hormone is released.
- Secondly, poor sleep increases cortisol (previously mentioned as the stress hormone) which slows down the production of growth hormone. Here comes the doozy! Your growth hormone (your natural anti-aging & fat burning source) is reduced cause you didn't get adequate proper rest (low slow wave sleep) which is then further reduced by the cortisol in your system. Mi nah win! Sigh......... I'll be fat forever (No I'm won't be!!!!).
I have spent so much time on this post, reading this article and many others like this one. As I read it becomes exceedingly clear that sleep is an important ingredient in any weight loss/fit/healthy living (permanent) lifestyle. A minimum of seven hours is needed as less than that results in the negative effects mentioned above. Sleep aids weight gain, unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits which overall hinders one's overall self improvement. Sleep should be priority at all times.
This article definitely opened my eyes to this sleeping matter. It made me truly realise that if I do not align my priorities and make sleep a part of my daily routine I will fail miserably in my get fit/get healthy journey. I will fail to lose weight; I will fail in improving myself in all the other areas (mentally, economically, all the -allys). My constant sleep deprived state will ultimately lead to me making ill-fated decisions regarding my present and my past.
I know that making sleep is a priority. I also know I can't keep putting it off. Adequate rest is a must! My typical bedtime hour is between 11 pm and 1 am (during the week at least). I am up by 6 am to get ready for work. I am usually feel tired, groggy too and I struggle to wake up and get going. This is usually a frequent occurrence (more like every morning). I have been trying a lot lately to go to bed early but as usual something or someone is there to distract me and I end up going to bed once again at my usual time. Well no more! I am giving "getting adequate rest" a shot. This is my newest challenge. So with the new things/foods/workouts I'm trying out in order to make being fit and healthy a permanent lifestyle change I have decided to challenge myself to a week of going to my bed early (at least early for me). My new bedtime will be between the hour of 9 and 10 pm (the latest being 10.15). My challenge, Operation Sleepy Time, officially begins on Sunday, October 20, 2013. I'm not sure this is a wise move as Monday is a holiday and there is no work (Yay!!) Anyway, I intend to try for exactly one week. Keep y'all posted............
It is very ironic cause in compiling and completing this post as I got very little sleep while doing it. This I will rectify with "Operation Sleepy Time".
My sources for this post included:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/74796-sleep-important-weight-loss/
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/why-sleep-no-1-most-important-thing-better-body
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/lose-weight-through-better-sleep
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=129&page=2
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/why-sleep-is-key-for-weight-loss.html
Information can never be too much. So read so more and educate yourself more. Happy sleeping!!
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