Lose Weight in Bed : SuperFoodsRx

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Lose Weight in Bed

By Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, MA, RD

Most people who are struggling to lose weight never stop to consider the effect that sleep could be having on their efforts. In fact, I’ve even heard from clients who ask if getting less sleep might be helpful, as they’d burn more calories if they were awake for more hours. While this could seem logical at first blush, research has demonstrated that the exact opposite it true: A good night’s sleep (a restful 7 hours for most people), actually favors a healthy weight and body mass index while inadequate sleep can make losing weight ever more difficult. We’ve long known that sleep seems to refresh the brain but we now know that sleep, or the lack thereof, affects a host of bodily systems including our metabolism, our hormones, and our immune function. The interplay of these effects can actually promote weight gain. Just as significant for individuals working to control their weight, inadequate sleep can also negatively affect decision-making about food choices and exercise.

Consider these facts:

Research has shown that approximately 7 hours of quality sleep are necessary for good health and weight control. Researchers also suspect that chronic sleep loss may accelerate the onset and increase the severity of symptoms and conditions related to aging including memory loss, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.
One large scale study following more the 68,000 women for 16 years showed that those who slept less than 7 hours on average per night put on more weight during middle age than women who slept 7 hours. In addition, over the course of the study those women who slept only 5 hours a night were nearly one-third more likely to gain significant weight (33 pounds or more).

Is there hope? Absolutely! The human body is a highly tuned machine. If you can incorporate SuperFoods into your diet and arrange your life to ensure at least 7 hours of restful sleep most nights, you’ll be taking a major step towards success in your weight loss effort.

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