Many of us know that a balanced diet and regular exercise maintains a healthy weight, but few of us stop to think about the role that sleep plays in keeping extra pounds off. When you consider that over one-third of American adults get less than seven hours of sleep per night and almost 40% are obese, the connection between sleeping well and managing weight seems clear.

Here are some reasons why sleep is just as important as diet and exercise when it comes to staying slim.

Sleep Deprivation Makes You Hungry

Have you ever noticed the day after a lousy night of tossing and turning that you’re hungrier than usual? It’s not your imagination. Not getting enough sleep wrecks havoc with two hormones that regulate our appetite, leptin and ghrelin, causing us to crave more calories. Leptin, which decreases appetite, tends to decline during sleep deprivation while ghrelin—a hormone that boosts appetite—spikes to give us a case of the hungry horrors.

This means we can end up raiding the office’s vending machine and reaching for high calorie and unhealthy foods to soothe our appetite. Our body is literally crying out for extra fuel to help it stay awake through the workday.

Needless to say, sleep is our friend if we want to lose weight or maintain a healthy range. Getting at least seven hours of sleep nightly can keep our appetite in check and satisfied with eating three balanced meals per day.  

Extra Weight Can Prevent Quality Sleep

Carrying a few extra pounds can create a dangerous cycle when it comes to not sleeping enough and overeating. People who are overweight or obese are at greater risk of developing sleep apnea, a sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Snorers tend to have sleep apnea, but excess weight increases your chances of developing the condition as well.

Sleep apnea sufferers tend to feel tired even though they had what they believed was a full night’s sleep. As already mentioned, being sleep deprived can make you feel ravenous as you consume extra calories to keep your energy level high. Sleep apnea can be dangerous, so it’s important to seek medical treatment if you suspect it’s the reason why you never feel well-rested. 

Getting Enough Sleep Means Better Workouts

It goes without saying that without enough sleep, we don’t have the energy to exercise as often as we should. If you’ve ever had to drag yourself through a workday following a restless night, the last thing you want to do is hit the gym on the way home from the office. (A brisk 15-minute walk during your lunch break, however, can give you a second wind and help you get through the rest of your day. It’ll also burn off some calories.)

Getting enough sleep gives us stamina for regular physical activity. It also helps our body recover faster from a workout, so try to get as much quality shuteye before your scheduled exercise days.

Sleep: Just As Important As Diet and Exercise

As you can see, getting enough shuteye is just as important as diet and exercise and in fact, has a real effect on our overall health. All adults should aim to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep per night. There are many ways to do so, which is worthy of a separate blog post, but you can get started with these sleep resources.

Once you have a regular sleep routine going and you can feel the difference getting enough sleep makes in your life, check out our healthy lifestyle posts for more tips on how to feel your best. 

Guest Contributor: Julie Ferrell is a freelance writer originally hailing from Ohio (O-H!) but now calls North Carolina home.  Julie enjoys writing on a number of topics but ultimately aims to help others enrich their lives by sharing personal experiences and practical advice.

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