Sleep and lose weight: why a good night's sleep is crucial for weight loss

The effect of sleep on weight loss

When you want to lose weight, bedtime is probably not immediately at the top of your to-do list. However, a better night's sleep leads to fewer snacks and faster fat burning. Do you regularly go to bed late or do you toss around all nights? Then it will be a lot harder to lose weight.

Research shows a link between poor sleep and higher obesity rates [2]. But that's not all; not getting enough sleep also increases the risk of:

• Obesity
• Metabolic syndrome
• Type 2 diabetes
• Insulin resistance

In short: Sleep deprivation is associated with higher obesity rates and other conditions, such as type 2 diabetes.

4 ways sleep affects your weight

Sleep affects your weight in a number of ways. We tell you the 4 most important ones.

1. Hormonal imbalance

Poor sleep can lead to a hormonal imbalance. For example, the hormones ghrelin and leptin can become out of balance. These hormones are also known as the “hunger hormone” and the “satiety hormone”. When they are out of balance, you feel hungry more often and tend to eat more because you feel less full.

In addition, bad nights can increase cortisol levels, and having too much cortisol in your body can contribute to weight gain.

It also suppresses the production of growth hormone, which is responsible for breaking down fat in your body.

Finally, sleep deprivation affects your insulin sensitivity. Insulin plays a key role in regulating your blood sugar levels and fat storage. When your insulin sensitivity is impaired, it's harder for your body to burn fat.

The positive news: by sleeping well, you balance these hormones.

2. Making bad choices

Sleep is essential for optimal cognitive function. When you sleep poorly, those functions don't work as well and you make bad choices more quickly.

So when you're tired, you'll be more likely to go to the snack bar or open a roll of cookies, while you can whip up a healthy meal after a good night's sleep.

3. Slowed metabolism

Sleep deprivation can cause your metabolism to slow down and increase fat storage. This is the result of the hormonal imbalance mentioned earlier.

4. Less movement

Sleep deprivation causes you to have less energy. This not only affects your alertness, but also your ability to stay active. When you are tired, you are often less likely to be physically active. This reduced energy combined with the lack of motivation to exercise can cause you to spend entire days sitting. This reduces your daily calorie burn and can contribute to weight gain because you use less energy than you consume.

In short: Sleep influences your weight in various ways, including by regulating your hormone levels.

How much sleep do you need?

How much sleep you need daily generally depends on your age. As you get older, you need less sleep. You can use this as a guideline:

Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours

Infants (4-12 months) 12-16 hours

Toddler (1-2 years): 11-14 hours

Preschool (3-5 years): 10-13 hours

School age (6-12 years): 9-12 hours

Teenager (13-18 years): 8-10 hours

Adult (18-60 years): 7+ hours

Adult (61-64 years): 7-9 hours

Adult (65+ years): 7-8 hours

Personal factors, such as genetic predisposition, lifestyle and stress levels, can also mean that you need more or less sleep.

In short: How much sleep you need depends largely on your age, but personal factors also play a role. Adults generally need at least 7 hours of sleep per night.

What time should you go to bed?

Unfortunately, there is no magic bedtime that will make you lose extra weight. Typically, the hours between dusk and dawn are the best time for a good night's sleep, which can promote weight loss.

The most important thing: routine. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. After a few weeks, you'll notice that you fall asleep faster and wake up rested [3]. Do you stay tired? Then try to get an extra hour of sleep and see how you feel.

In short: Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day contributes to good sleep quality.

10 tips for getting a good night's sleep

It's perhaps the best part of your weight loss process: getting a good night's sleep. But when you're staring at your ceiling for hours, going to bed is no fun.

The following 10 tips will help you sleep well.

1. Create routine, regularity, rhythm

Going to bed and getting up at the same time consistently contributes to a good night's sleep [3].

Create a sleep routine that suits your (work) life and don't deviate from your standard sleep pattern by more than an hour on the weekend to avoid tossing around at night the following week.

2. Sports!

Exercise improves sleep on all fronts: you fall asleep faster, stay awake less often, and get out of bed much easier in the morning [4,5,6].

Fun fact: Research shows that exercising halves the time you need to fall asleep and gives you an extra 41 minutes of sleep per night [6]. Time to get your sneakers out of the closet again!

3. Meditate

Maybe you often lie in bed with a head full of thoughts and can worry for hours. This is where meditation can help you. It contributes to rest in your head and body. Research shows that meditation reduces insomnia symptoms and reduces fatigue during the day [7].

Are you new to the world of meditation? With this simple step-by-step plan, we'll help you get started.

1. Choose a quiet spot
   Find a place where you won't be disturbed. This can be a separate room or a quiet place in nature.
2. Use a timer
   Set a timer for 5-10 minutes when you start. This prevents you from having to keep track of time and helps you get into a routine.
3. Sit comfortably
   Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor, or on a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed. Keep your back straight but relaxed. You can keep your hands in a so-called 'mudra' or rest on your knees.
4. Look at one point, about 60-90 cm in front of you on the floor

Focus your gaze on a fixed point on the floor. This helps to minimize distractions.

5. Breathe deeply in and out

Start with a few deep breaths. Breathe in slowly through your nose, hold for a moment, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. This helps you relax.

6. Focus on your breathing‍
7. Breathe naturally, you don't have to force anything, and focus on inhaling and exhaling. Feel how the air flows in through your nose and how your chest or stomach moves.

7. Observe your thoughts
   You'll notice that your mind is starting to wander. That is normal. Observe these thoughts without judgment and calmly return your attention to your breath.
8. End calmly‍
9. When the time is up, slowly open your eyes and stretch. Take a moment to observe how you're feeling.

Tip: Start with 5-10 minutes a day and build up gradually. Consistency is more important than how long you meditate.

4. Choose your prios

It's time for bed and you have to get up early tomorrow. Still, you stick around. You scroll around on your phone a bit more, watch a YouTube video, and before you know it, you're an hour away. You know you should actually go to bed, but you can't bring yourself to it.

Do you recognize that? This phenomenon is called “revenge bedtime procrastination.” In other words, you delay going to bed voluntarily and unnecessarily. When you feel that need, it's often because you want time to yourself. Understandable, because after a long busy day, you just want to do your own thing.

Still, it's good to give more priority to your bedtime. You will reap the benefits the next day. You can even have enough energy to do something fun for yourself after work.

5. Keep a sleep journal

Keep a sleep diary to better understand your sleep patterns and any problems. For example, each day, write down:

• The time you go to bed
• How long it took you to fall asleep
• How often and at what time did you wake up at night
• Whether you took a nap during the day, and for how long
• Or you worry, including the thoughts or concerns that concern you
• Any physical complaints that affect your sleep
• Whether you used alcohol, caffeine and/or nicotine and when
• Medication you've taken
• Supplements you've used

With this information, you can recognize patterns and gain insight into factors that interfere with and improve your sleep. This allows you to make targeted adjustments for a better night's sleep.

6. Look for the sun

Sunlight plays an important role in releasing tryptophan into your blood. Tryptophan promotes the production of serotonin, also known as the happiness hormone, which in turn converts to melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.

Try to get 15 to 30 minutes of sun on your skin, for example on your face and hands. Just make sure you don't use sunscreen or day cream with SPF in this short period of time so that sunlight can do its best.

7. Create a sleep oasis

Make your bedroom a place of rest and relaxation. Make sure the room is free of screens, papers lying around, clutter, and a plethora of personal items such as family photos. Instead, choose an environment that soothes your senses. For example, you can do this as follows:

• Keep the interior calm and simple
• Avoid bright colors, opt for soft tones
• Make sure there is as little noise as possible in the room and/or turn on white noise or nature sounds (rain, ocean)

This helps your body and mind relax and sleep better.

8. Choose the right temperature

Did you know that temperature is incredibly important for your night's sleep? Research shows that the temperature in your bedroom has more influence on your sleep quality than sounds [8]. The ideal temperature is between 16 and 21 degrees. Try for yourself which temperature works best for you.

9. Avoid blue light

Devices such as phones and laptops emit blue light, which makes your brain think it's day [9]. This blue light inhibits the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, which can throw your biological clock out of balance.

So put your phone, tablet and laptop away at least one hour before bed and turn off the television to improve your sleep.

10. Sleep-inducing food

A good night's sleep starts on your plate. This is because important hormones, such as serotonin, are produced in your intestines to help you sleep well. As a result, the right diet helps you sleep better.

Foods that help you sleep well:

• Chamomile tea
• Passionflower tea
• Almonds
• Turkey
• Bananas
• Cherries
• High-fiber foods (such as vegetables, fruit, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes)

Foods that interfere with sleep:

• Caffeinated beverages
• Spicy food
• Heavy food

In short: There are various ways you can improve your night's sleep, including exercising, having the right temperature in your bedroom, and eating certain foods.

Conclusion

Sleeping well can have a positive effect on your metabolism and appetite regulation, thereby contributing to weight loss.

By using the tips in this article, you can improve your sleep quality.

Are you overweight or obese and want to finally reach your goal weight? Fill out our questionnaire to find out if you are eligible for medication.

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Wellis follows strict guidelines for obtaining information and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic institutions, and medical associations. We strive to always use reliable and up-to-date sources. This article is intended for general information and not medical advice. Always consult a physician or qualified healthcare provider for personalized care.

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