When it comes to fat loss, I have my own personal hierarchy of what should be prioritized in order to see success and sleep is near the top of the list! Not only is getting enough sleep essential to our body functioning properly, but it can have significant effects on our fat loss efforts. Let’s talk about why and how sleep is essential and how to have better night time routines in order to ensure we are getting enough sleep!

A good nights sleep is essential to maintaining a healthy brain function as well as a healthy metabolism. If we don’t get enough sleep, our mind and our body can suffer equally. Some of the main consequences of not getting enough sleep are:

• more likely to become sick
• don’t perform well in activities of daily living
• don’t perform well doing extra activities (like exercise)
• less able to cope with psychological stress
• less able to cope with physiological stress
• struggle to learn, remember and think effectively
• less likely to follow hunger / fullness cues

While all these are important to consider for health purposes, we are going to focus on that last bullet point “less likely to follow hunger / fullness cues”. When we are sleep deprived, the two main hunger/fullness hormones Leptin and Ghrelin get all out of whack. Sleep deprivation leads to an increase in Ghrelin, which is the appetite stimulating hormone; it also leads to a decrease in leptin the appetite satiating hormone (the hormone that will help us feel full).

Does this sound familiar? I know when I’m sleep deprived its like I’m extra hungry and am a bottomless pit. Nothing keeps me full or satiated and I find myself wanting to reach for more calorie dense foods! Being sleep deprived for long periods of time can not only hinder our fat loss efforts but it can also contribute to weight gain.

Establishing a sleep routine

Always getting the right amount of sleep can be difficult (especially if you have small children). I am going to share the ways that I prioritize my sleep and what my “bed time” routine looks like.

1. Going to sleep & waking at the same time every day 

While this sounds less than ideal, especially during the summer and weekends, going to bed at roughly the same time everyday and waking up at the same time everyday can be the best way to establish a routine. For the most part, I always wake up feeling refreshed and never have a hard time falling asleep.

2. Avoiding too much screen time around bed

This is something that I don’t always do, but I should. Keeping away from our phones, social media, tv, etc. at least for a half an hour before bed can help our brain relax (its more sciencey than that, buts that gist of it). Most nights for at least 10 minutes before I go to sleep I usually step away from all screens and its way easier to fall asleep.

3. Avoiding alcohol and sleeping supplements

Drinking is all fun and games, but it can wreak havoc on your sleep cycle not only for the day you drink but a few days after the fact as well. The same is true for taking too many OTC sleeping aides like melatonin, Zquil, Tylenol PM, etc. They may help you fall asleep, but you won’t sleep as well and can even wake up with a “hungover” type feeling. These products can almost be addictive, and once you stop using them, it can take a little bit to be able to fall asleep quickly on your own.

4. Keeping a sleep journal/using a sleep tracking app

I always use a sleep tracking app thats on my Apple Watch. I love to know the quality of sleep I’m getting, for how long and if I met my daily sleep goal. It can be helpful to know what your current sleep looks like, where theres room for improvement, and what/if anything disrupted your sleep. The more data you have the easier it will be to improve!

Moral of the story: not only is sleep essential for daily functioning but it can help/hinder our fat loss goals! Making sure we get enough sleep is important for us to not only feel good but perform well! If you’re struggling to sleep well, start working towards establishing your own sleep routine – you’ll be amazed at how getting a good nights sleep every night can help you look and feel your best!