When talking about weight loss, the first thing most people think about is to reduce calories and exercise more.
However, nearly 90% of people who try very hard to lose weight have little or no success. There may be one simple reason for this result: They don’t sleep well.
Many studies have shown that lack of sleep can also lead to weight gain.
A study published in (Sleep) in March 2016 showed that sleep-deprived participants consumed more and unhealthier snacks in between meals.
Dr. Erin Hanlon of the University of Chicago explains: “if you’re sleep-deprived, your hedonic drive for certain foods gets stronger, while your ability to resist them may be impaired.”
In other words, if you want to lose weight, get a good night’s sleep.
If you haven’t yet, please read the other article How Does A Lack Of Sleep Cause Weight Gain.
How Many Hours Of Sleep Do You Need A Day
A 2015 study showed that the average sleep time of healthy adults should be between 7-8 hours per night to promote optimal health.
Less than 7 hours of sleep a night can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, heart disease, stroke and even death.
In addition, it can also lead to impaired immune function and decreased brain response-ability.
Ways To Get Good Night’s Sleep Naturally
It’s frustrating if you can’t fall asleep at night. Not getting enough rest will affect your next day. In the long run, though, it will also affect your overall health.
Furthermore, a lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. Does this attract your attention?
You can try the following methods to improve sleep quality.
1. Optimize the sleeping environment
The lighting, noise and temperature of the bedroom will affect sleep.
Try to create a quiet, relaxing, clean and comfortable environment to help you fall asleep quickly and easily.
2. Having dinner early
You have probably experienced that you didn’t sleep well when you’ve gone to bed with a full stomach.
That’s because your stomach is working hard to digest food. If your stomach does not rest, your brain cannot relax completely.
3. Avoid caffeine or alcoholic beverages
Avoid coffee, tea or alcoholic beverages before going to bed. They can make you more excited, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
4. Leave your phone outside the bedroom
The blue light of the mobile phone or tablet is not only harmful to eyesight but also affects the production of melatonin.
Try to keep the bedroom environment quiet and comfortable. More importantly, the darkness is helpful for a good night’s sleep.
5. Take a hot bath
Taking a hot bath or even a foot bath can relax your whole body and improve sleep quality.
Just be sure to dry your hair before going to bed.
6. Don’t watch exciting TV shows
If you don’t want to stay awake all night or have nightmares, it is best to avoid watching intense movies or TV shows before going to bed.
Instead, reading a book, listening to light music or chatting with your family can help you feel more relaxed. This makes for a more restful night’s sleep.
7. Don’t fall asleep mad
If something unpleasant happens during the day, try to solve the issue as soon as possible. Don’t bring resentment or anger into the bedroom.
Learn to decompress yourself and maintain a positive and optimistic attitude.
8. Keep a regular sleep routine
Keeping a regular sleep schedule—even on weekends—maintains the timing of your body’s internal clock and can help you fall asleep and wake up more easily.
A regular lifestyle can keep your biological clock stable. This is not only helpful for restful sleep but can also benefit your overall health.
9. Exercise during the day
Strenuous physical activity just before bedtime may negatively affect your sleep. This includes workouts like running, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or weightlifting.
Avoid strenuous exercise at least 3 hours before going to bed, or complete any moderate-intensity exercise at least 1 hour before bedtime. In this way, your body will have enough time to relax, resulting in more restful sleep.
10. Supplement melatonin
Melatonin is an important sleep hormone. It tells your brain when to relax and sleep.
Melatonin supplements are a very popular sleep aid, often used to treat insomnia. It may be one of the easiest ways to help someone get to sleep.
One study has shown that taking 2 mg of melatonin before bedtime can significantly improve sleep quality while helping people fall asleep faster.
In addition, if you travel internationally, melatonin is often used to relieve insomnia caused by jet lag.
11. Try lavender essential oil
Lavender is the most functional of all essential oils. Lavenders’ most common function is its relaxing effect on the body.
When lavender is used for treatment, it can clean wounds and relieve bruises and skin irritation.
A drop of lavender essential oil on your pillow can help you fall asleep quickly and more easily.
12. Other methods
There are many other ways to help people sleep better.
For example, in order to fall asleep, my husband used to listen to white noise, like rain, thunder or running water. I however like to fall asleep in a completely quiet environment.
In order to adapt to each other’s habits, sometimes I used foam earplugs so both of us were able to get a good night’s sleep.
Summary:
A good night’s sleep is vital for every human being to survive. We spend about one-third of our life either sleeping or attempting to do so.
Insufficient sleep can lead to weight gain and many other health problems. Long-term poor sleep can accelerate the aging of the body and organs.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, dieting and having a regular sleep schedule can help you improve your sleep quality.
