Why is sleep so important when trying to lose weight?

I have had trouble with falling asleep my whole life. I've been a night owl since I was a kid, and my body just never got used to going to bed before midnight, usually much later than that. When I was in high school, I suffered from really awful insomnia that would keep me up for days on end. Seriously. I hardly ever slept! Looking back on that time, I realize that I gained 60 pounds in one year - the year when I was told I suffered from insomnia. I was 17. This is when my weight troubles began. I remember weighing myself on new years eve and thinking I only had 20 pounds to lose, and the following new years I weighed myself again and was shocked to see I had to lose over 85 pounds to get to my goal weight. Ouch. 60 pounds in ONE YEAR.

Why did I gain so much weight so fast? It's really simple, and I wish I had known this back then, because my life could be a lot easier right now.

When you don't get enough sleep, your body is low on energy and it causes your brain to believe you NEED sugary foods for that instant rush on energy.  Your body will also have more trouble processing glucose which can lead to gaining weight. If you're having trouble sleeping, your body also is producing higher levels of cortisol & slows your metabolism down to a stop. As if THAT wasn't enough, your body will most likely be too tired to exercise, leading to weight gain.

"It's a no-brainer that sleep is important. There's nothing like a good night's rest to make you feel rejuvenated, energetic and ready for your day. Not to mention that research has shown that a lack of sleep increases the risk of diabetes, obesity and injuries.  Now there's a new study out furthering the cause for getting a solid 6-8 hours of sleep a night. According to the October 5 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, not getting enough sleep may inhibit fat loss in dieters.

In the study, dieters were divided into two groups: those who got about 8 hours of sleep and those who only got about 5 hours of sleep. While both groups lost the same amount of weight on a calorie-controlled diet, the amount of fat they lost was dependent on how much sleep they had. The group who got a full night's sleep had weight loss that consisted of 50 percent or more from fat, while the reduced sleep group had only one-fourth of their weight loss from fat, according to the study.

It's well researched that when sleep is restricted, levels of ghrelin go up and leptin levels go down. Ghrelin is a hormone that triggers hunger and reduces energy expenditure, while leptin controls appetite. So when you don't get enough sleep, it's a whole lot easier for your dieting willpower to go right out the window. It's actually hormonal. Unfortunately, most Americans aren't getting enough sleep, which is probably playing a role in the obesity epidemic." Taken from here.


How much sleep should you shoot for a night? As close to 7 to 9 hours as possible. You don't want to sleep too much, but you need to make sure you're shooting for 8 for weight loss.

What can you do to make sure you get more sleep each night?
- Exercise! Even if it's just walking for 20 minutes a day, it will go a long way.
- Try establishing a bedtime. I know it sounds silly, but your body will get used to going to bed at the same time each night & fall into a pattern.
- Cut out as much caffeine as possible from your diet, preferably completely. If you can't do that, at least stop having caffeinated beverages at least 4 hours before bed.
- Make your room very dark. Get an eye mask.
- Avoid naps.

Good luck and happy resting!

Depression & weight gain

I don’t know about any of you, but I have been battling depression since I was four, and battling anxiety since high school. I just recently started counseling and I discovered one really scary thing: the more depressed you are, the more likely you are to gain weight.  The more weight you gain, the more depressed you’re likely to be. How horrible!

If you have depression & anxiety, your chances of being obese double. Why is that? 

Depression tends to make people not want to do anything – certainly not exercise. Depressed people also tend to eat more & have more trouble sleeping. Sleep is KEY to losing weight, because it will help you be more energized the next day. You really need to try to get 8 hours of straight sleep a night. It’s better for your body if you do. You WILL lose more weight easier if you try to get more sleep, watch what you eat, & exercise more.  It can’t hurt to try and get into some therapy for your depression, either. It’s really important to treat your depression in order to reach your weight loss goals. Luckily, the two go hand in hand.

My therapist suggested I start taking 30 minutes a day of time that I devote to walking, preferably by myself so I could de-stress. That’s not going to happen, though. I’m a mother of two & their father works 2 jobs so I’m never alone since I always have the kids with me.  Instead of walking by myself, or attempting to take my 3 & 6 year old out on a walk with me, I have been making sure to use the Nordic Track 5 out of 7 nights of the week, and throw on a family friendly movie for the kids & I during this time. It calms them down & gives me a bit of peace and quiet. It’s not as relaxing as a walk outdoors by myself would be, but it’s definitely helping. My panic attacks have come to a stop in the last month, and that’s truly amazing because I’ve had problems with panic attacks since I was 15! Knowing that not only will I lose weight by doing this, but that my panic & depression issues might lessen is a great feeling. 

One thing to keep in mind: “Rather than concluding that weight loss leads to an improvement in mood, it would perhaps be more accurate to conclude that lifestyle modifications AIMED at weight loss & depression ALSO, on average, tend to improve mood.”

It’s a lot more difficult to lose weight when you’re depressed, too. That could be why the results aren’t showing quite as much as I would like. I know that for me, when I am depressed & I let that feeling take over, I tend to let little setbacks turn into an avalanche of bad news and that pushes my progress back further. When one bad thing happens, I always look for every other negative thing I could possibly add to make me feel worse all around. I get upset and eat, I definitely have had issues in the past with being a very emotional eater. I get so depressed that I have trouble sleeping and can’t focus, which means I don’t want to exercise or eat right. I just want to sit on the couch and stare at the floor. 

I truly believe my weight FUELS my depression.   

My weight & depression lead to the self destructive behaviors I just mentioned. It’s a vicious cycle.

I am depressed about my weight, and it makes me not want to leave the house, it makes me scared to meet up with old friends, and it scares me to even go out in public sometimes. I have panic attacks because of how I look. I freak out about it BIG time. 

Lately, I’ve been pushing through these horrible feelings that occasionally creep up on me. I’ve been making sure to keep exercising, keep trying to eat healthier, and always keep my main goals in mind: healthy mind, healthy body. I’m trying to relax a bit more, and see the good in things. An attempt at a more positive attitude is a great asset to someone battling depression (although probably not too common), and it is an even better tool for losing weight. 

This time is different for me than all the other times I tried to lose weight. I’m not just trying to lose weight for my physical health, but also for my mental health. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that there could be an end to my depression & weight problems if I just keep trying. So that’s what I’m doing, each and every day: trying.