Getting Good Sleep

Sleep plays a vital role in maximizing our energy levels, balancing our hormones, and helping us to feel balanced and therefore able to make healthy choices. When we’re chronically sleep deprived (studies suggest that less than 6.5 hours of sleep on a regular basis is considered sleep deprived), our hunger and craving hormones (leptin and ghrelin) become imbalanced, encouraging us to eat more than we need, and to choose foods that are higher in sugar and fat. Not getting enough sleep also leads to increases in perceived exertion, meaning that exercise feels harder. As such, you’re not able to work out at an appropriate level to generate change in the body. It’s clear then, that proper sleep is important when it comes to weight management.

If you’re aiming to get more sleep, try adding 30 minutes per night, rather than ramping it up by two hours all of a sudden. Try some deep breathing or guided relaxation before bed, and keep lighting low in your home in the evening.