What is the connection between sleep and weight loss? New research suggests that your sleep habits can significantly impact your weight loss efforts. Sleep deprivation causes a number of changes in our body that contribute to weight gain and undermine our ability to lose weight even with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Hormonal Changes

One of the first changes in your body during sleep deprivation is hormonal. Your body naturally begins to produce more of the hormone ghrelin, which initiates hunger, and less of the hormone leptin, which tells you when you’re full. Even with proper diet and exercise, these hormonal changes can set you up to eat more than you normally would. In addition, lack of sleep also affects your body’s ability to store and process energy with insulin, which can leave you feeling unexpectedly lethargic until you do eat more.

More Hours, More Snacks

Another side effect of losing out on sleep is the fact you simply have more waking hours in your day. The longer you are awake, the more likely you are to snack. In your sleepy state you are more likely to make multiple trips to the fridge late at night, consuming more calories than you lost throughout the day even if you did exercise. In addition, those calories are more likely to come from carbs and fats, which lead to weight gain.

Improving Your Sleep

The key to losing weight and reaching your New Year’s resolution is learning how to sleep better. Your body starts to see the effects of sleep deprivation after only one or two nights of missed sleep. The longer you put off proper sleep, the worse the symptoms get. From impaired judgment to picking up extra snacks, the solution is simple. If your old mattress is keeping you up at night, it’s time to find a better option that will help you get to sleep faster and sleep through the night.

MATTRESS360 can help determine what kind of mattress you should get and put you on a path to healthier sleep and eating habits. Visit us online and browse our full selection of mattresses from extra plush to super firm.

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