Lack of Sleep May Get You Fatter

Sleep is one of the most important activities that our body needs. Sleepless nights don’t just mess up your mood during the next day but it also has effect of your body. Sleep deficiency can cause many people to pack extra pounds. There are several reasons why lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, says Michael Breus a sleep disorder specialist. He said that when we get too little shut-eye, our metabolism slows down to conserve energy. That slowdown will trigger the release of the hormone called cortisol which is responsible for the increase in appetite. Our mind thinks that we need more energy that is why it asks for more food. When we are lack of sleep it also causes our body to release more ghrelin, another kind of hormone that signals hunger and less leptin, the hormone that tells the stomach that it’s full. When that’s happen, the body wants more food and lacks the sensitivity to know when to stop eating. Another contributing factor for weight gain is that the body burns the most calories during REM sleep, the restful phase of sleep, therefore when we have less time in sleep it means less time in REM.
Therefore, we should try to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. If you have trouble sleeping, you follow the following steps: Stick to a nightly routine, exercise during the day, banish worries, and keep pre-bedtime activities relaxing.