With our busy schedules, and the ever-increasing social forces surrounding us on a daily basis, we seem to be spending less and less time in bed.
There never seems to be enough time in a day to get everything we need done, and so we find ourselves rising earlier and going to bed later …
Which might not seem like a big deal … but the reality of the situation is that your sleeping habits can impact your immune system, memory, outward appearances, and performance.
A fun fact; one night without sleep can leave you performing like you were legally drunk at a blood alcohol content of .08 percent. If you’re sleeping poorly on most nights, the negative effects could be worse.
THE IMPACT OF POOR QUALITY SLEEP
There are a host of health problems that can be associated with chronic sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can make you more susceptible to colds, flu, and other infections.
It can cause you to feel irritable and experience mood swings, reduce your ability to deal with stress, as well as increasing your chances of having depression and anxiety.
In short, most aspects of life are largely dependent upon sleep.
POOR SLEEP QUALITY AND FOOD INTAKE
While many theories exist, a number of studies have reported that being low on sleep increases the level of ghrelin, particularly in the early morning hours.
Ghrelin is a hormone that is produced mostly in our stomach and when produced, it signals our body to be hungry while also decreasing how many calories are burned by the body.
Scientists feel like these increases are some of the first cues by the body to help compensate for the lack of sleep and stress placed on the body as a result of the low levels of sleep.
A great way to track and monitor your food consumption would be to utilize the My TransPHORMation App.
POOR SLEEP QUALITY AND ACTIVITY LEVELS
In addition, studies have also shown that when the body is sleep-deprived, natural levels of physical activity (which will burn calories and help maintain a favorable balance) are decreased.
Makes sense right?
I know when I’m exhausted, I tend to not move around as much, but when considered as a whole, these changes all lead to a greater calorie surplus (you’re eating more calories, and burning less calories) which over time will increase body mass and levels of obesity.
Putting on pounds of muscle or losing fat can be challenging enough … depriving yourself of quality sleep will make it even more challenging.
QUALITY VS. QUANTITY
The quality of sleep we get is crucial, not just the quantity.
Sleep consists of two types of slumber: REM sleep includes rapid eye movement and dreaming, while non-REM sleep includes four stages ranging from light to deep sleep.
Each night you pass through 4-6 cycles of REM and non-REM sleep.
It is in these deeper stages of sleep that the body restores itself, giving you that refreshed feeling. As we age, we spend less time getting the stage-four kind of rest.
6 TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP QUALITY
If you want to set your body up for earning the best results possible, making quality sleep a priority in your life is a great place to start. You might be asking yourself, “what can you start doing today to increase your sleep quality?”
- Limit Your Caffeine Intake In the Afternoon – Avoid caffeine, pre-workout with stimulants and caffeinated tea before bed as too much caffeine and stimulants will inhibit your body’s ability to unwind and relax.
- Exercise Daily (Preferably NOT Before Bed) – Partaking in daily exercise will help you fall asleep easier and improve your sleep quality. The morning or early afternoon are the best time to get a workout in without disturbing your sleep at night. If you usually train in the evening, I recommend instituting a calming ritual post-workout to help your body wind down after the rush of endorphins caused by exercise.
- Correct Bedroom Temperature – If you are too hot or cold while sleeping it can cause a restless night. The best temperature for sleeping is between 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Try to keep your bedroom cool by using a ceiling fan and blocking out light with proper blinds or curtains that shut out heat and light.
- Natural Supplementation – Utilizing supplements with proven ingredients to help with relaxation and calming of the mind and body can improve sleep quality.
- Don’t Force It – When sleep does not come easy, get out of bed, go into another room, and engage in some type of quiet activity until feelings of sleepiness return.
- Watch What You Eat – Eating before bed, especially lean protein sources, can have many benefits for fat loss and muscle growth, just make sure you don’t over-do it. A Level-1 shake is a great option to feed your muscles throughout the night without making you uncomfortably full. Stuffing your face before bed can cause restlessness due to indigestion.
All in all, sleep is an important aspect of your life to allow your body to work effectively.
Whether it’s decreasing how many calories are burned by your body, increases in hormones that cause you to eat more food, poor recovery, overall fatigue or any of the other negative consequences from poor quality sleep… the impact of poor sleep rears its ugly head in many directions.
Considering that all of these studies were done in the context of no exercise, one can only imagine how these changes are influenced when the stress of regular exercise and the demand for recovery are added to the mix…
If you have any questions or need any help at all reaching your fat loss goals, please never hesitate to reach out!