There’s a rumor going around that you can drop pounds all while catching up on Zzzsss. The verdict? Proper rest can help you avoid excess weight gain and, over time, lose weight while sleeping. If you’re hoping to truly shed off those pounds, however, sleep might not be the answer, so don’t go about swearing off the gym in favor of more time under those comfy covers.
It’s important to keep in mind that people who do not receive enough sleep during the night are at more risk of gaining extra pounds, not losing them. Poor sleep can definitely be contributing factor to weight gain, as people experiencing poor sleep patterns and lack of sleep set a whole cascade of bodily events into motion hormonally that could eventually lead to further weight gain. To help you snooze and lose on those pounds, here’s some additional information to help you understand the power of Zzzzs in the quest for lasting weight loss.
Burning Calories Even at Rest
The brain, heart, lungs and all other vital systems working need energy in order to properly function, meaning that the body continues to burn calories even while asleep. A Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR, is the term used to define the number of calories required to maintain internal physiological functions while sleeping. Another common term often used synonymously – a.k.a. resting metabolic rate, or RMR, which additionally measures energy used at rest during any time of the day.
Typically, people burn 0.4 to 0.5 calorie for every pound of body weight for every hour of sleep– so 8 hours of sleep burns around 500 calories for an average 150-pound individual. The number of calories lost may be significantly more or less, depending on how much you weigh and how long you sleep.
Sleep Schedule and Weight Loss
Our bodies are fasting all throughout sleep, which is one reason that it may help with weight loss. Basically, maintaining a regular sleep schedule and getting eight hours of sleep preserves muscle mass, keeping BMR or metabolic rate higher, allowing for more burning of calories. Researchers have also concluded after numerous studies that sufficient sleep helps maintain lean muscle as well.
Less Sleep = Less Energy
Sleepless nights cause you to feel sluggish and irritated all throughout the day—that’s a no brainer. What’re more is that because the hormones that regulate growth and appetite are also part of the equation, they are also equally susceptible to harm when it comes to sleep sabotage.
Both leptin and ghrelin are made predominantly during sleep, which means that people have less of a sense of satiety when not getting enough sleep. The more you are awake, the greater the chances then that an extra snack or two (or three or four) will be factored into the daily mix.
What is all coming down to is that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to be hungry because the body needs more energy to stay awake. Unfortunately, sleepy eaters tend to consume more than enough to compensate, which leads to weight gain.
Let Us Help!
The primary goal at Sleep MD NYC is to help you receive the best sleep possible every night and all the time. For more information regarding losing weight while sleeping and to rid yourself of any sleep-related problems, please reach out and contact Dr. Shukla at Sleep MD NYC to get the help and care you deserve.
