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Sleeping well helps with weight loss because it promotes the regulation of hormone levels related to hunger, ghrelin and leptin, as well as helping to lower the levels of cortisol in the blood, which is the stress-related hormone that could increase appetite and make it harder to burn fat.
Most people need to sleep between 6 and 8 hours a day for restoring energy and regulating body functions. Here's how to schedule a good night's sleep.
A healthy person spends, on average, about 80 calories per hour of sleep, however this figure shows that just sleeping does not lose weight, but sleeping well helps weight loss in other ways, such as:
1. Decreases ghrelin production
Ghrelin is a hormone produced in the stomach that aids digestion, but also increases hunger and stimulates appetite. When the person sleeps little or does not have a good night's sleep, ghrelin can be produced in greater quantity, favoring the increase of hunger and the desire to eat.
2. Increases leptin release
Leptin is a hormone produced during sleep and is related to promoting a feeling of satiety. Having leptin levels higher than that of ghrelin is important in regulating appetite and controlling binge eating, which is when you feel an uncontrollable urge to eat.
3. Stimulates growth hormone
Growth hormone, also known as GH, is produced in greater quantity during sleep, and is important for those who want to lose weight, as it stimulates the reduction of body fat, the maintenance of the amount of lean mass and cell renewal, in addition to improve the functioning of the immune system.
4. Produces melatonin
Melatonin helps you sleep better and increase the benefits of sleep, in addition to stimulating the neutralization of free radicals during this period and controlling the production of female hormones, which combats the accumulation of fat. Learn more about the benefits of melatonin.
5. Decreases stress
Hormones produced in stress, such as adrenaline and cortisol, increase in lack of sleep, and, when elevated, prevent fat burning and the formation of lean mass, in addition to increasing blood sugar levels, which makes weight loss difficult .
6. Increase mood
A good night's sleep allows you to wake up with more energy the next day, which reduces laziness and increases your willingness to spend more calories through activities and exercise. Here are some tips for getting a good night's sleep and waking up in a good mood.
7. Helps you eat less
When you stay awake for a long time, the feeling of hunger and appetite increases. Already, a night of adequate sleep helps to prevent the urge to eat and make attacks on the refrigerator.
To achieve these benefits, it is not enough to sleep just the number of hours needed, but to have quality sleep. For this, it is important to respect the sleep schedule, avoiding changing the night for the day, having an environment without noise and low light and avoiding stimulating drinks after 5 pm, such as coffee or guarana, for example. Sleeping 30 minutes after lunch also helps to improve mood and sleep at night.
See more about how sleeping helps you lose weight by watching the following video: