Weight loss and the power of sleep

Sally has already established that healthy weight loss is not just about calories in and out. Although that is the basic principle of losing fat, there are so many other elements to consider, that are emotionally, physically and mentally critical to a successful outcome.

In the last few months, we have explored the impact of stress, emotional and physical, types of foods that are nutrient-dense, willpower and exercise. Another daily activity that also has a part to play in maintaining a healthy balance in our bodies is sleep. I have posted before in the various weight loss series but it is worth reminding ourselves how important this period in our day is to us.

If you are trying to lose weight…sleep is one of your most powerful diet aids.

You might wonder why weight loss and sleeping go together.

Well apart from the fact you won’t be putting any calories in during that time; your body will be processing those you ate the day before. If you consistently only have five or six hours of sleep not only has that process not been completed efficiently, but you wake up wanting to dive into carbohydrates and as many sugary coffees you can get your hands on.

Over a period of time as your body loses energy it will demand that you top up more frequently and consume sugars to keep it going… Before you know it your weight is going steadily upwards.

Sleep is essential for the recovery of the body and mind. It is the time of day when organs continue to function, but calmly enough to be able to carry out diagnostics and repairs ready to face the next active 16 hours.

Without this downtime every night you will find yourself vulnerable to physical and mental stress and if sleeplessness is a long-term issue for you it can lead to a number of health problems.

The Power of Sleep.

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https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2022/10/27/smorgasbord-health-column-size-matters-the-sequel-morbid-obesity-the-power-of-sleep-when-losing-weight-and-to-be-healthy-by-sally-cronin/