The Connection Between Sleep and Weight loss

The amount and quality of sleep are continuously falling. Alongside, the rate of weight gain and problems associated with are rising. 

In the world of health and wellness, we see many theories in trending reels, vlogs and videos. But there is one fundamental truth that often goes unnoticed and is not talked about– the deep link between sleep and weight.

Sleep and weight? What’s the connection? 

Well, there is. And this connection is a strong one. The better your sleep quality, the better your weight. We don’t say it: Science does. Science has recently been delving into this realm of sleep’s connection with weight management. 

But don’t yawn yet. We know that it is a pleasing thought, to know that sleep is super important. You might feel like falling onto your bed. However, there is much more to it to know beforehand – how sleep is important, how it impacts your weight and life, how much to sleep, and ways to improve it. 

So, let’s open our eyes and wash our brains with some vital knowledge.

Weight, Sleep, and Science – What’s the link?

If only had our parents allowed us to sleep enough, we’d have topped the schools and the colleges and could have become the next Satya Nadela. Right? 

Quite right. Although ranking cannot be assured, better performance surely can be.

Sleep and weight are complexly connected. And to understand this connection, we first have to understand sleep.

So, what does sleep do to us? 

If we go by the words of our teachers and parents, it ruins our life. But if we go by the science, the evolutionary science, we do see its benefits.

Sleep affects every inch of our bodies. But primarily, here are the areas that it affects the most –

• Growth and stress hormones
• Immune system
• Metabolism
• Appetite
• Blood pressure
• Heart health
• And weight management

When you sleep, your brain and body do not shut down completely, even though you stay unconscious. Your brain goes through a change, an important one. 

The five fruitful stages of sleep

When we sleep, our brains go through 5 stages – 

1. Non-REM 1 (lasts around 7 minutes) – Your brain takes a transition from wakefulness to restfulness, and eye movements slow down, a sort of twilight. Peaceful, but light sleep. Here, alpha and theta waves predominate in the brain. These are associated with peacefulness. 
2. Non-REM 2 (ends at around 20 minutes) – It is the stage where you want to take a quick nap. If you delay, you’ll feel groggy because the body will have advanced to the next stage.
3. Non-REM 3 and 4 (ends at around 65-70 minutes) – The time of delta waves. These waves are super slow waves with powerful effects. It is the most beneficial part of the sleep cycle. We often know this by deep sleep. 
4. REM sleep (ends the 90-minute sleep cycle) – This is the stage where we dream. It is called ‘Rapid Eye Movement’ and it benefits our memory functioning and translates short-term memory into the long-term. It also makes us creative and enhances our imaginative powers.

Throughout the night, we go through many of these sleep cycles. And as we come toward the end of our sleep, the REM phase increases and the other phases decrease. 

Now, if you suffer from bad sleep, you’ll have a hard time remembering things and solving problems. This means further stress. And further stress means further health issues. Always! It is all connected. 

How does sleep affect the brain, body, and weight?

As science speaks and vouches, sleep and weight are directly connected. Here is how –

1. Sleep provides our brains with the much-required rest. This cools it down and allows it to function efficiently. When the brain functions efficiently, it balances hormones, including those responsible for appetite and metabolism. You might relate to this how poor your performance gets when you over-exert your brain beyond its limits. This leads to stressed eating. During sleep, the brain manages two hormones related to appetite –

• Leptin – Makes us feel satiated
• Ghrelin – Makes us hungry

When we are sleep deprived, the levels of leptin drop and those of ghrelin rise. In a way, we overeat.

Science has linked insufficient sleep to obesity in 89% of children and 55% of adults. ^[1]

2. Sleep impacts the metabolic rate. Metabolic rate defines how efficiently our bodies burn calories and manage weight. The poorer the metabolism, the less fat we burn, and the more obese we become. 
3. Sleep impacts our bodies’ ability to regulate blood sugar levels. This invites insulin resistance and thus our bodies start storing more fat than is required. ^[2][3]
4. And at last, here is a little indirect connection. When sleep-deprived, we rarely feel energetic. This means we move less. This also means not a single chance that we will be willing to go for a workout session. Consequently, lack of exercise, as we all know, causes weight gain. 

The way out? Sleep, good sleep, one that makes you feel refreshed, recharged, and ready to take on your day.

How much sleep do we need?

First thing first – oversleeping is never the answer. It is as bad as sleep deprivation. So, if you, by any chance, are thinking of sticking to your bed for hours and hours beyond – don’t. You will not gain anything by trying to quickly fix your sleep pattern. 

Now, the amount of sleep changes with age. Where babies require more sleep, adults require comparatively less. Here is how much sleep a person needs –

• Infant – 14-17 hours
• Infant – 12-15 hours
• Toddlers (up to 2 years) – 11-14 hours
• Children (3-5 years) – 10-13 hours
• Children (6-13 years) – 9-11 hours
• Teenagers (14-18 years) – 8-10 hours
• Most adults – 7-9 hours
• Aged 65 or more – 7-8 hours
• Pregnant women need more sleep

As we see, most adults need around 7-9 hours of sleep. However, many may work wonderfully with sleep as few as 6 hours a day. If your eyes open up naturally and you feel energetic even after 6 hours, it is time to wake up. 

But, as told before, sleep time can never mean sleep quality. You may sleep for 9 hours and yet feel sluggish, yawning all day, tired, terribly tired. It is because your sleep quality might be poor. So, how do you improve your sleep quality and help manage your weight? We’ll know, but first, let’s learn the signs of sleep deprivation.

What are the signs of sleep deprivation?

The first sign of sleep deprivation is when you keep on yawning all through the day. Take it seriously. It could also be a sign of poor sleep quality. Then, check the connection between your sleep and weight. 

Is your weight increasing? 

Apart from this, the other signs that might mean either sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality:

• Mood swings
• Falling memory functioning 
• Hard to focus on things
• Breakouts on the face
• Low mood and depression
• Craving junk food and overeating
• Coffee after coffee
• Red eyes, puffy eyes, and dark circles. 
• Tired 

All these signs are serious, not because they will push you to the hospital immediately, but because they eventually will make you bedridden. Also, if sleep deprivation occurs for a long time, it takes days or weeks to fully reverse it.

So, let’s talk about how you can improve your sleep and manage your weight as well. 

How to improve sleep quality?

Here is a fact to open up your eyes – 

India is the second most sleep-deprived nation. ^[4]

It is right after Japan. 

After the COVID wave, the sleep quality degraded even further. Well, a lot of things changed after COVID. Now, it has become more crucial than ever to get enough quality hours of sleep. ^[5]

Here is how you can improve your sleep quality and wake up with a blissful smile:

• Start by taking enough daylight during the day. Expose your eyes to the bright daylight. Firstly, this is surely going to improve your mood and make you happier. Secondly, it will set your circadian rhythm, which sets the tone for wakefulness and sleep. It has been shown as helpful in treating insomnia and reduced the time to fall asleep by 83%. ^{[6] [7]}
• Avoid screens in the evening. It is because screens emit blue light and this blue light tricks your brain to think that it is still daytime. Consequently, it reduces the production of melatonin, your sleep hormone. 
• Avoid caffeinated drinks, smoke, or alcohol at least 6 hours before your sleep time.
• Have a sleep schedule. This habit will make your body release sleep hormones with time, thereby helping you sleep. 
• Don’t take longer day-time naps, until you strongly need them. Sleeping in the day can hamper your night’s sleep.
• Exercise or do yoga regularly. This releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones, and enhances your body’s functioning. Also, doing workouts can make you feel a bit tired in the evening, thereby helping you sleep well and deeply. ^[8]
• Try out stress management techniques 

Now, a few sleep time routines might do wonders for your sleep and weight and life and mood.

• Take a lukewarm water bath. It will help your muscles and nerves relax. Once you are relaxed, it is easier to hug your pillow.
• Meditate just before you go to bed. This will put a halt to your monkey mind, and your overthinking, and help you relax even more. 
• Try aromatherapy to soothe your senses. Lavender oil, chamomile oil, sandalwood, etc. can help you sleep sweetly. ^[9]
• Ask your loved one to give you a soothing massage if you are having a hard time falling asleep.
• Have a chamomile tea or passionflower tea as it can relax your body even further. ^[10]
• Drink turmeric milk to soothe your body and mind.
• Have a room that is dark, quiet, cosy, and cool. It is perfect to have a good night’s sleep. 

Apart from that, there are a few dietary changes that can help you sleep better. Here are those:

• Have your dinner at least 3-4 hours before you go to bed. 
• Don’t eat heavy meals and don’t overeat. 
• Avoid drinking big amounts of water right before you go to bed. If possible, have half a glass of water. Also, urinate before you hug your bed. See what works for you.
• There are certain foods that might help you have better sleep – eggs, almonds, chamomile tea, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, kiwi fruit, walnuts, a glass of lukewarm milk, whole grains, fatty fish, etc.

And if nothing seems to be working out for you, it is time to consult a doctor. The sooner you do it, the better for your health, weight, and mood. 

Conclusion

Sleep and weight have been a rising concern in the fast-paced modern world. The result? Weight gain, depression, and sickness. Never a good thing. As far as the numbers speak, India is hugely sleep-deprived. 

And a lack of sleep means falling immunity, poor metabolism and body functioning, poor heart health, and unhealthy weight gain. It is time that we understand the importance of sleep and work towards a happier life. The sooner the better. 

Numerous things can enhance sleep quality. For example, avoiding screens in the evening, having a bedtime routine, meditating, taking light meals, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol can help hugely. 

It is all about connecting to our evolutionary roots and doing it the natural way. Our bodies function well and smoothly when we allow them their natural environment, i.e. right diet, nights for sleep, and a stress-free life. 

So, fellow readers, you health-conscious people, yawn, but yawn at the right time, when the sun falls and the night arrives, promising you a good deep sleep. Let your dreams be your midnight snack on the road to a healthier, happier you! 

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