They told you that greasy food makes you fat. So you started eating healthy food. Then they told you that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to weight gain. So, you started working out. But, they never told you that lack of sleep can add to your pounds. So, you merrily went on with your lifestyle of less ‘sleep hours’ and more ‘awake hours’! And while doing so, you never realize that sleep deprivation was sobotaging all your weight loss plans.

well, it's  time you found out that lack of sleep can make you fat. How exactly? That's one of the things we'll be discussing in this blog. I will also tell you tell you how to prevent this kind of weight gain so that you can stay lean and healthy. 

𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐄

Studies have shown taht when you sleep less, your appetite invariably increase and you end up carving for food that are high in calories.

(1) The appetite is controlled by two hormones in your body, namely leptin, and ghrelin, the hunger hormone, is responsible for that ‘hungry’ feeling, leptin tells you when you've had enough food so you can stop.

(2) So, if your brain functions in its best form, both these hormones will do their jobes just fine. However, when you sleep less, not only does your brain function poorly, it also leads to a change in the level of ghrelin and leptin in the body.

(3) Which means taht as your appetite increases, the amount of food that you will eat throughout the next day will also increase. Hence, starts the unavoidable cycle of wolfing down candy bars and soda at work every time you feel tired. Naturally, that's not going to aid in your weight loss plans at all.

𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏

So, it's not just appetite that increases because of the insufficient number of sleep hours. Your weight does too! And that puts you at a risk of obesity. Regular lack of sleep and the consecutive binge eating can adversely impact the inches on your waistlines and elsewhere.

Unfortunately, over the last decade obesity has been on the rise. and over the last 5 decades, the average sleep time has significantly reduced. This establishes a solid link between the two. To make things worse, obese people are likely to sleep fewer hours as compared to the rest.

Don't be mistaken to think that if you eat less or if you eat less or if you eat only healthy foods, you'll be fine. Getting enought sleep is equally important. A lack of sleep will hinder your weight loss plans despite your diet being healthy.

This is not just for adults though. Children and teenagers can also be in trouble if they give the slumber a miss. Studies show that teen and kids who sleep less are likely to be overweight.

(4) Another study suggests that there could be a link between low RAPID EYE MOVEMENT during sleep and the likelihood of kids being overweight.

𝐒𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐏 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐖𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

Okay, you might argue that you're sleeping the required number of hours an d hence this area of sleep doesn't worry you. But hold up. Is your sleep quality good? Because, if it's not, you're just as likely to experience sleep related weight gain as someone who sleeps fewer hours everynight.

For example, those who suffer from sleep fragmentation disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea might still gain pounds or find it difficult to lose them even if they spend enough time in bed. Such disorders can also lead to extreme fatigue and can deter you from hitting the gym and making yourself fitter. Besides, studies also show that sleep apnea and obesity are related

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO CURB THIS KIND OF WEIGHT GAIN?

These 4 things can really help in curbing weight gain caused by lack of sleep:

SLEEP:

The obvious cure. Sleeping as much as you can a minimum of 7 to 9 hours can help you stay in shape. if you have to hit the gym early in the morning, sleep earlist so you don't have to sacrifice on the zzzzzzs.

WORKOUT IN THE MORNING:

Working out in the evening can disrupt your sleep. So, schedule your workouts for mornings instead. It helps you burn more calories too 

FOLLOW A HEALTHY DIET:

If you feel hungry during the day, don't satisfy your carving with sugary foods. Have nuts or fruits instead.

DON'T DRINK:

A nightcap doesn't ensure sound sleep faster but it causes disrupted sleep later on in the night. So, it's best to avoid alcohol.

Preventing yourself from weight gain doesn't always have to be tough. A simple routine essential, such as sleeping, can keep your body from packing in extra pounds that it doesn't need. Now know you can snooze away without any guilt. How many hours of sleep do you get every day? Let us know in the comments below….