New Year New You – Why Poor Sleep is linked to obesity
Get that New Year Diet Off To A Good Start
Christmas is over and it’s time to start making those New Year resolutions. One of the most popular options after a month or two of eating and drinking a little too much, is to lose the weight we’ve piled on over winter and getting enough quality sleep is more important that you might think.
Having made the commitment to get fit, signed up for the gym, bought some new gym gear and locked away the left over Christmas chocolate, there’s one thing many of us often forget when it comes to getting back in to shape. Poor sleep is linked to obesity.
The Reason why poor sleep is linked to obesity
Poor sleep and weight increases go hand in hand. This is due to the way that a lack of sleep interferes with the hormones which are responsible for regulating your appetite.
Leptin is the hormone which reduces your feelings of hunger and balances out Ghrelin, the hormone which makes you feel hungry. These two hormones are naturally kept in balance by your body when you’ve had sufficient sleep, but when you don’t get enough sleep, this balance is disrupted and typically, Ghrelin becomes more dominant giving you a tendency to eat more than you otherwise would.
A restless night also means that your body won’t recharge as well as it would if you slept better. You’ll wake in the morning feeling drained rather than refreshed which makes finding the motivation to work out far harder than if you were fully energised. Yet another way that poor sleep is linked to obesity.
If Poor sleep is linked to obesity, how do you get better sleep?
A good night’s sleep is essential for helping your body properly regulate the hormones responsible for keeping your appetite under control. While poor sleep can make you fat, quality sleep will help you achieve your New Year fitness goals.
With sleep, quality is as important as quantity. Eight hours of restless sleep isn’t anywhere near as good as the same amount of true, restful slumber. Your bed is an important factor contributing to how much rest you get at bedtime. An old, uncomfortable or unsuitable bed will leave you tossing and turning at night, which means you’re likely to get far less benefit from any sleep you’re able to get.
In contrast, a suitable, quality bed and mattress will support and cosset you as you close your eyes and allow your body to benefit from a far more refreshing night.
Give yourself the best chance of succeeding with your New Year’s resolution, by investing in a quality custom bed to help get your fitness goals off to a flying start.
