Sleep, the weigh loss secret weapon
When I was unhealthy, I was a terrible sleeper. I’d stay up late (doing paperwork for my business), then I’d watch the news and head to bed. I’d toss and turn for 2-3 hours and then I’d start my day feeling groggy and exhausted.
When you get less sleep than your body needs, you are setting yourself up for:
- A slower metabolism (if you sleep less than 6.5 hours per night it makes your body more likely to gain weight)
- Accelerated aging process and, possibly, the early stages of diabetes.
- High blood pressure, obesity and memory loss.
Key Points:
Don’t make my mistakes! Here is how I blew it:
- Stayed up too late and caught a “second wind”. If you feel tired, go to bed! Fighting through it to fold one more load of laundry isn’t worth it.
- Kept my mind too active by doing business work and watching the news. Listening to music or reading a book would have lowered my stress hormones, making it easier to fall asleep.
- I kept my living room lights on high-bright light can mimic sunshine, making you feel more energetic. Go buy some light switch dimmers this weekend…
My Favorite Tips for a Great Night of Sleep
- Wear socks to bed. When you lie down your body prepares for sleep by distributing hear from your core out to the fingers and toes. By warming up your feet, you signal your body that it’s time for sleep.
- Wear an eye mask. Sleeping in complete darkness signals your body to produce more melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep, so you can fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. It doesn’t take much light to “turn off” this process, so get rid of your night light and don’t turn on any lights if you need to take a potty break.
- Turn off all screens! That’s right; avoid computer, TV and video-game screens before bed. The light from these screens signals your body that it is still daytime, and this may keep you from producing melatonin.
