3 Crucial Steps to Improve Your Sleep for Weight Loss

Unhealthy sleep habits get in the way of you losing weight. These are your 3crucial steps to improve your sleep, weight loss and overall health.

by Will Perego and Dr. Eric Wood, ND.

 

Our bodies function almost the same as our ancestors’ bodies did some two million years ago. Only the last six generations have enjoyed electricity, which has allowed us to extend the day well into the night. The previous 100,000 generations “followed the sun,” as wood for fire, wax for candles or kerosene for lamps were inaccessible, expensive, or needed for more important uses.

 

1-Why you need to follow the sun

We are meant to sleep at night and eat and work during the day, on a circadian cycle controlled by our internal clock. This internal clock is formed by just 20,000 cells, known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus—SCN for short—located in the hypothalamus. The SCN commands, directly or indirectly, the body signals for hunger, satiety, tiredness, stress response, and more.

The melanopsin cells in our eyes are directly connected to the SCN. When we wake up in the morning, the sunlight impacts these cells, resetting the SCN, which in turn resets the internal clocks of most of our glands and organs to start producing certain hormones. Because of sunlight, our bodies get ready for daily activities, toxins elimination and water and food intake. As an example:

• Cortisol is high in the morning and low in the evening, to provide as with energy
• Melatonin is high at night and low during the day, to facilitate falling asleep

Our bodies have not been designed to stay awake and/or to eat at night. Going against our natural circadian cycle is the cause of several illnesses and problems, including weight gain.

The first step in a sensible weight loss program is to return our bodies to the circadian cycle of walking up between 6am and 7am and falling asleep between 10pm and 11pm.

2-What to do if you cannot fall asleep

It should take you less than 30 minutes to fall asleep since you turn off all lights. If this is not your case, below are the main reasons, and how to fix them:

• Late dinners: From 7:00pm have only water and non-caffeinated herbal teas.
• Food intake window: Squeeze all your meals and snacks in an 11-hour window.
• Lack of exercise: Best exercise for weight loss, a daily 60-minute walk between 6am and 6pm.
• Stress: 99% of your problems can wait until tomorrow. Don’t bring them into your home.
• Not enough daylight: Work near a glass window and spend time outdoors.
• Bright lights in the evening: From 7:00pm reduce lights in the room and wear blue blocker glasses. At 9:00pm turn off all electronics and TVs.

Click on image to enlarge

3-What to do if you wake up during the night

Fragmented sleep is not ideal. It’s possible to sleep all night without sleeping pills and waking up. If you wake up more than once, below are the main reasons, and how to fix them:

• Late dinner: Is difficult for your body to properly handling your sleep while still digesting food.
• Dehydration: Your daily water intake in fluid ounces is your weight in pounds divided by two.
• Room temperature: Bedroom is too hot or too cold, it should be cool.
• Loud noises: Avoid/block them.
• Snoring or sleep apnea: Several possible causes and solutions, upcoming article on this topic.

 

About the authors:

Will and Eric are, respectively, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer at ActibHealth.com.

ActibHealth. Finally, a holistic formula to regain your dream weight and health. And keep them forever.

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