23 Mar The Nighttime Habit That Makes You Fat

Are you a busy person? Many people are. What do you do to make sure you accomplish everything you need to do in a day? Most likely, you cut back on hours of sleep. What’s the harm? A little extra coffee will keep you going and you can’t ignore your responsibilities.

There is plenty harm in a lack of sleep. When your body does not get good quality sleep at night, it cannot regenerate as it should. Your body cannot detox the chemicals and toxins it is exposed to daily. Your body responds by making more cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol stimulates weight gain. Cortisol makes you have cravings.

So you might think that you will just eat less (while sleeping less) and that will keep your weight stable. That rarely works. Your body is more like a chemical factory than a furnace. Your body might burn calories, but more importantly, it uses the food you eat to create the chemicals that run your body and keep the parts working together smoothly. When you increase cortisol, your body changes how it uses its food, slowing down metabolism and increasing hunger. So even if you use willpower and restrict your calories, your body will just slow down your metabolism even more.

Wouldn’t it be simpler to just go to bed early? You will have more focus, be more efficient, have more energy, and have a better mood. Doesn’t that sound nice? Many people find they accomplish more (and stay slimmer) with a good night’s sleep than they ever did by stretching out their waking hours.

Resources

Dr. Hyman on lack of sleep

Dr. Axe on cortisol levels

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