How to Sleep Your Way to Better Weight Control

Did you know that sleep can influence your ability to control your weight? However, the relationship between sleep and weight control is complex and has little to do with burning calories at night. 

While taking part in a continuous care weight management program at neXendo Wellness in Long Island City or Murray Hill, New York, you might be surprised to hear Anastasios Manessis, MD, and the team bring up sleep alongside typical weight control recommendations like clinical nutrition and exercise. 

Most adults function best with 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. Although how much sleep you need to function well varies from person to person, the research tells us that sufficient sleep is essential to your health. 

In this article, we explore the relationship between good sleep and weight control.  

How sleep and weight control are related

Don’t underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep. Getting plenty of rest allows your body to function at peak performance, and this includes your metabolism. Sleep deprivation is a risk factor for obesity and a host of obesity-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

Sleep influences weight control in several ways: 

Hormone regulation and hunger control

How much you sleep and your sleep quality can influence the hormones that control when you feel hungry. Two neurotransmitters, ghrelin and leptin, affect your appetite. Ghrenlin makes you feel hungry while leptin helps you feel full. 

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body can’t properly regulate these neurotransmitters. As a result, you may feel hungrier than usual and eat more calories. You might feel less full after a substantial meal. This makes it challenging to control your weight. 

Metabolism control

Your metabolism is the cellular process of turning the food you eat into energy. When you sleep poorly, or not enough, your metabolism can slow down. This means you burn fewer calories throughout the day and during physical activity. 

Energy for exercise

When you don’t feel well-rested, you’re less likely to engage in physical activity during the day. Even if you muster the energy to exercise, poor sleep can lead to more mistakes and injuries during workouts. 

The importance of sleep hygiene

If you find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, a simple way to get more sleep is by improving your sleep hygiene. Your sleep hygiene describes the environment in which you sleep. Some factors are more conducive to good sleep, while other factors prevent you from falling asleep or sleeping well.

You can improve your sleep hygiene by:

• Avoiding screen time before bed
• Avoiding caffeine later in the day
• Using your bed only for sleep; don’t spend time in bed during the day
• Follow a consistent sleep schedule
• Avoid eating immediately before bed
• Darken your bedroom
• Eliminate noises from your sleep environment if possible
• Reduce daytime stress
• Get more exercise during the day

An earlier bedtime can help you avoid late-night snacking, which is common among night owls. Unless your work schedule prevents it, try to become a morning person. 

Some people might benefit from taking melatonin or sleep aid medicines. Discuss these options with your doctor if you still have trouble sleeping as much as you need. 

Get in touch

Are you interested in learning more about how good sleep can support your weight control journey? Call neXendo Wellness or request an appointment online to consult our team today.