Based on several studies, people who get less than four hours of sleep per night are more than more likely to be obese (70 percent) compared to those who get seven to nine hours of sleep.
Lack of sleep lowers leptin, a protein that restrain appetite and tells the brain when the stomach is full. Not having enough sleep also slows down insulin production, an agent responsible for regulating blood sugar. In short, not getting enough rest disturbs your body’s ability to burn off extra calories.
Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. Very few of us actually get the minimum of seven. How do you know how much sleep you really need? Experts say to sleep as long as you want for several days (best done on vacation). Then, your sleep should stabilize and you’ll find yourself waking up after the same number of hours daily, within 15 minutes or so. Once you know about how much sleep you need, start getting into a steady routine. Set a regular time for sleep. Start getting ready ahead of time. And experts say, avoid using the bed for watching TV or doing work.
If you are having a hard time falling asleep, try following these tips:
Get some lovin. Your bed is good for two things: sleep and sex. If you constantly find yourself eating, working, paying bills or doing other activities in your bed, your mind will not associate the bedroom with relaxation.
Limit alcoholic drinks. Alcohol messes with your sleep rhythms of your body and actually increases the possibility of snoring. So, try to limit your cocktails to the weekend when you can get some extra shut-eye. If you’re a regular up the local pub for after-work beer specials, you can bet that the quality of your sleep is impacted.
Make a List. If you find yourself staring at the ceiling with your to-do list running over and over again in your head the try keeping a note pad close to your bed. Write down the things that you need to do. That should give you momentary relief and will help you fall asleep.
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