Prevent Weight Gain and Muscle Loss with Better Sleep

What if I told you that sleep is one of the most important components of achieving and maintaining a lean, muscular physique and that being chronically under-slept can actually make you fatter and less muscular.

When I present this fact to people that I coach, train and educate, the statement is often met with skepticism. After all, sleep is only for lazy people and you can sleep when you’re dead right?

Nope!

Read on and learn why getting adequate quality sleep is non-negotiable if you want to prevent fat gain and muscle loss and achieve a lean muscular physique. 

Caloric Intake 

The fact is, most people eat more calories during waking hours when they are sleep deprived or did not get enough quality sleep. Multiple studies have proven this and published data by certified sleep coach Nick Lambe and the American Council on Exercise have shown this to be true. 

In fact, people who do not get adequate quality or quantity sleep eat on average 500 calories more per day than under conditions when they are well-slept. To demonstrate how significantly this influences fat gain, consider that 1 pound of fat tissue is equal to 3500 calories.

When a person eats an excess of calories needed for daily energy expenditure, the surplus will be stored as fat tissue. If the extra 500 calories that are eaten per day while under-slept are more than what is burned daily, it would take one week, or just seven days, to gain a pound of fat. That’s gaining a lot of fat quickly!

While these numbers are averages, the fact remains that when you don’t get enough quantity or quality sleep, it is difficult to achieve and maintain a lean physique. 

Cravings and Food Choices 

If the above fact were not bad enough, when a person does not sleep enough, food cravings are far more difficult to control the day after a poor night’s sleep. This is due to a disrupted balance of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulate hunger and satiety.

What makes matters worse, when you don’t sleep enough, you’re far more likely to make impulsive decisions as the part of the brain that regulates the decision-making process is negatively impacted.

So, compounding these two factors means that not only are you more likely to crave high calorie foods when sleep deprived but you’ll be much more likely to impulsively choose foods that will make it difficult to get ahead in your fat loss efforts. 

Impact on Muscle Mass and Bodyfat 

Did you know that when a person’s body is in an under-slept state, the risk of losing muscle mass is significantly greater. Not only that, but the body is prone to retaining fat tissue, making it very difficult to maintain a desirable body composition or improve the body’s fat-to-muscle ratio. 

This is a built-in, evolutionary process that cannot be defeated. If you are chronically sleep deprived or do not get enough quality sleep, the body will naturally shed muscle tissue and hold on to fat. 

Exercise Effectiveness 

It is well understood that exercise is one of the most impactful activities that builds and retains muscle and burns body fat. That means when you don’t sleep enough or the quality of your sleep is poor, at least two significant problems arise that negatively impact your body’s ability to build and retain muscle and lose body fat. 

Motivation to work out, either with resistance training or cardiovascular exercise regardless of intensity level, will be greatly diminished. You are far more likely to skip workouts and be less physically active in general. 

If you do manage to get your exercise in when you are in an under-slept condition, fatigue sets in sooner which will likely result in shorter exercise duration. Additionally, performance output will almost certainly be diminished which results in less simulative workouts and energy expenditure.

Exercising under these conditions is less than optimal when trying to build muscle and burn fat.

How to Prevent Weight Gain and Muscle Loss 

The simplest, most basic solution to preventing weight gain and muscle loss is to get an adequate amount of quality sleep. This solution is challenging for a lot of people, so this importance of the sleep component in achieving optimal fitness and wellness is often dismissed and disregarded.

Denying the importance of sleep is common, thus resulting in an overfat, underfit population. There is no denying the correlation between poor health, poor physical fitness and unhealthy body composition and a chronic, under-slept state.

Thankfully, this can be addressed and significant, rapid improvements in body composition and physical performance can be experienced. And it can start tonight!

Resources for Better Sleep 

Consider the below resources and articles that expand on the importance of sleep, why sleep is so critical and how to get more, better quality sleep.

How Sleep Affects Your Weight and Performance

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (Amazon affiliate link)

Get Better Sleep Starting Tonight: Six Tips for Improving Your Sleep

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

Get Better Sleep Starting Tonight: Six Tips for Improving Your Sleep

Starting tonight, you can sleep better, improve your mood, have more daytime energy and think more clearly. 

Experience better sleep immediate by following these six tips for improved sleep. 

1. Get sunlight Early In the Day 

Here’s Why: Sunlight helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s sleep signaling process. 

If you get 30 minutes of sunlight early in the day, you’ll feel naturally sleepy at night due to an established internal sleep pattern.

Easy Steps: If possible, make it a priority to spend some time outdoors early in the day. Take a walk, have a warm, lightly caffeinated beverage in the sunlight and allow daytime light in your home by opening curtains and blinds. 

2. Exercise Regularly 

Here’s Why: Daily exercise, or regular physical movement, have a major impact on your overall health and wellness, including improving your sleep quality. Source

One of the benefits of daily exercise and regular movement is that it helps you accumulate the natural, normal process of sleep pressure. Once you’ve established a healthy amount of sleep pressure, you’ll be able to comfortably and easily fall asleep.

Easy Steps: If you already exercise regularly, you’re ahead of the game. If you don’t, that’s ok! Simply begin a short, basic exercise routine 2 – 3 times per week and very gradually increase your exercise frequency to 5 times per week. As a bonus, move around as much as you can during your waking hours. 

3. Minimize Alcohol

Here’s Why: Drinking alcohol in moderation is usually okay for most people. However, even though alcohol may help you drift off to sleep at night, your body will not properly enter the essential stages of sleep, therefor reducing your sleep quality. Source

Easy steps: Try to minimize your alcohol intake, especially close to bedtime. If you’re able to cut out alcohol altogether, you’ll experience improved sleep quality immediately. 

4. Improve Sleep Environment 

Here’s Why: As you approach bedtime, your body’s systems naturally cause you to get into a sleep mode that helps you get healthy, restful sleep. 

Your sleep environment influences the healthy winding down process and optimizing the room or area where you sleep can greatly improve how quickly and easily you fall asleep.

Easy steps: Keep your sleep area quiet cool and dark, create white noise (like using a fan) and eliminate distractions like a television. 

5. Budget Sleep Time

Here’s Why: Devoting 7 – 9 hours of your day to sleep will allow your body to experience several cycles of the restful, restorative you need to feel more energy, think more clearly and be in a better mood. 

Easy Steps: Reduce activities that rob you of sleep time such as scrolling through social media and watching television. 

Studies have shown that budgeting even 15 extra minutes of sleep time each night can have profound benefits. Make it a priority to gradually increase the amount of time you allow for sleep each night to equal 7 – 9 hours. 

6. Manage Your Stress 

Here’s why: Stress on your body in any form can impact your body’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Stress hormones and an amped-up nervous system response can reduce the quality and quality of your slumber. 

Easy Steps: Techniques such as breathing exercises near bedtime, writing out and sorting through your stressful thoughts and aromatherapy may help reduce your body’s stress response that keeps you from falling asleep and staying asleep. 

Gradually add stress management techniques for better sleep into your daily routine and experience enhanced slumber. 

30 Day Sleep Challenge

This is simple! To experience more restful and restorative sleep starting tonight, increase the amount of time you allow for sleep by 15 minutes. Slowly increase the amount of time devoted to sleep to 30 minutes within a month’s time.

Track how feel by keeping a sleep diary and simply record how rested you feel after each night’s sleep. Watch how quickly your mood improves, how much more energy you have and much more clearly you think. 

Resources

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker, PhD explores these topics and takes an in-depth look at the behind the scenes processes of sleep and dreaming.

This book is the most comprehensive, enlightening book I’ve read on this topic to date and I enthusiastically share the insight shared by Dr. Walker in my presentations, literature and wellness program. 

SleepFoundation.org - Creating A Healthy, Well-Rested World

“We work under the premise that sleep is a pillar of health and that quality information about sleep promotes overall wellness. At SleepFoundation.org you’ll find comprehensive health information drawn from high-quality sources and reviewed by experts in the field. Our goal is to create dependable resources to help you take charge of your health and get the sleep you need and deserve.” Sleep Foundation 

These simple tips can help you get more sleep for more energy, better mood and clear thinking starting tonight! 

Please note: If you make a purchase using links in this article, I may receive a small monetary commission. 

Read More:

Lack of Sleep Can Be Dangerous!

The Scary Cost of Sleep Deprivation

Unlocking Your Brain's Potential: Neuroplasticity and Personal Growth and Well-being

Lack of Sleep Can Be Dangerous!

Just about everybody has suffered from a lack of sleep at some point in their lives. It may be due to jet lag, stress, anxiety, or problems at work. 

Consequences of Lack of Sleep

If you're not able or unwilling to spend enough time catching some Z's each night, you experience some scary consequences from lack of sleep. 

Physical Effects

First off, lack of sleep brings about some physical effects that can be avoided if you get enough quality sleep.

Without  adequate sleep, you might experience blurry vision, color vision deficiency, feel weak or featherbrained, any you may even develop dark circles below your eyes. 

Due to a heightened nervous system response, your hands may be tremble and you might be impatient, cranky, or over-reactive. You might have uncomfortable headaches until you get some rest. 

Mental and Emotional Troubles

Lack of sleep may also lead to mental and emotional troubles. You might experience memory may not be as sharp and you may experience poor moods more often.   

It is now starting to be understood that deficiency of sleep plays a role for some individuals in developing metabolic syndrome, which plays a role in development of diabetes. This lack of adequate slumber induces the body to have difficulty breaking down and utilizing glucose. 

Hormones

Sleep deprivation plays a role in becoming obese. The sleep deficiency can impact hormones that regulate the glucose metabolic process and appetite. While a sedentary lifestyle can cause weight gain due to low calorie expenditure, sleep deficiency may be a contributing factor. 

This makes it especially important to implement effective ways to increase metabolism to lose weight and body fat. 

Life Threatening Problems

Among the most life-threatening problems if lack of adequate sleep is sleep-deprived who are driving on the roadways. As a matter of fact, studies show that they are as risky in their driving as those who are under the influence of alcohol. 

That is partly due to slower reaction times and instances of micro-sleeps, in which they do not even recognize they have dozed off.  

Reduced Cognitive Function

Sleep deficiency induces all sorts of troubles from decreased cognitive function, degradation of athletic performance, hormone imbalances and even disease. 

More consequences of lack of sleep are further described in detail in neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker's best selling book Why We Sleep.

To avoid these nasty side effects of lack of sleep, the best thing to do is make it a priority to enhance the quality and quantity of regular sleep.  

Please note, if you purchase the book using the Amazon link I've provided in above, I may receive a small commission. 

Also Read

Your Fat Loss Plan Simplified

Overcome Self-Sabotage For Fat Loss Success

Fitbit Alta: A Compelling Review

The Scary Cost of Sleep Deprivation

Odds are you're not getting the 7 to 9 hours of nightly shuteye experts agree you require and that lack of quality sleep could cost you in many ways. 

While a few high-achieving professionals boast of taking minimal z's, research demonstrates that our sleep needs are astonishingly consistent. 

If you fail to get at least 7 nightly hours of sleep, you're likely operating at a disadvantage.

Sleep and Work Productivity

Your fitness, health and body composition might be paying the price of sleep deprivation. Highly productive people sometimes have hefty ambivalence toward sleep, both craving and ostracizing it. 

Even though effect fat loss strategies for busy professionals can be implemented, adequate sleep is essential for optimal performance. 

Are you more productive when you work eighteen hour days? Can't you just shore up your droopy eyelids by downing yet another cup of coffee?

Unfortunately, no. New scientific research demonstrates that going without enough sleep for more than an occasional day or two can play havoc on your wellness, memory, concentration, temper, and ability to arrive at decisions - even if you believe you're doing all right.

The consequences of lack of sleep are further described in detail in neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker's best selling book Why We Sleep.

Is Sleep a Waste of Time?

If you require a good reason to begin sacking out earlier or sleeping later, here it is. 

It turns out that far from being a time waster, sleep makes you fitter, stronger, smarter, and a more successful leader.

Lack of Sleep Can Damage Your Health

The evidence that sleep matters is incontrovertible and perpetually growing. 

Let's begin with a freshly discovered link between sleep loss and serious sicknesses like diabetes and cancer. A scientific research study at the University of Chicago's school of medicine kept young, healthy volunteers alert for all but 4 hours a night for 6 nights straight. The result: 

The levels of subjects' hormones shifted - particularly a hormone called leptin that bears on appetite. They got ravenously hungry, gulping down pizza and ice cream long after they'd have felt full generally, and their blood glucose shot up to pre-diabetic levels - an menacing result after less than one week of poor sleep.

Other analyses repeat those results so regularly that researchers now trust that not getting enough sleep is a lead cause of obesity and diabetes, both of which are on the rise across the country. 

Sleep Deprivation, Immunity and Cognitive Performance

At the same time, the World Health Organization (WHO) has accumulated data from around the Earth showing that sleep loss depresses the immune system, to the point where WHO is thinking about labeling chronic sleep loss a carcinogen, comparable to tobacco and asbestos.

If you've ever been so tired out that you had to re-read the same paragraph several times to grip its meaning and soon blanked out what you read, you already know what sleep investigators have lately demonstrated about the effects of too little sack time on productivity.

One experiment at a school of medicine kept subjects up until four A.M., woke them at eight A.M., and then fed them a series of tests designed to measure memory, vigilance, and the ability to react quickly to fresh data. 

The researchers were startled to find that subjects' mental acuity slumped markedly after just one night and kept falling with each successive night of 4 hours' sleep. 

Even more distressing: The study's volunteers were incognizant of their deterioration. 

One woman, so tired that she could barely say her name, was all the same sure she was able to drive home.

Regardless how much you believe you're achieving when you pull an all-nighter, it's likely to a lesser degree than what you could accomplish if you got some sleep then returned to work. 

Sleep and Memory

A study gave volunteers a list of words to memorize and then were kept alert for twenty-four hours, their power to recall the words fell by forty percent.

Memory betters during sleep, so that if you get a full 7 to 9 hours sleep tonight, your recall of all that happened today will be twenty percent to thirty percent sharper than it is directly after the day's events happen. 

For professionals and leaders, the finest reason to get enough shut eye might be to avoid making dense, costly decisions.

 A sleep researcher recently gave 3 groups of subjects the same pieces of data. Those who walked off and spent at least 7 of the next 12 hours sleeping were able to brand broader and more lucid connections than those who didn't get much (or any) sleep or those who attempted to analyze the data right away.

Perform Better With Healthy Sleep

The world's best athletes, most successful leaders and most productive people are likely permitting themselves at least seven to nine hours of sleep to recover, process information and marinate in the data they absorb.

As a general rule, most otherwise prudent fitness enthusiasts, students and professionals would enjoy finer accomplishments if they maintained healthy sleep habits. 

To explore more about the science behind our sleep, it's benefits and the cost of sleep deprivation, check out Dr. Matthew Walker's best selling book Why We Sleep. 

If you purchase the book using the Amazon links I've provided in this article, I may receive a small commission. 

Also Read

Your Fat Loss Plan Simplified

Overcome Self-Sabotage For Fat Loss Success

Fitbit Alta: A Compelling Review