This is an especially important topic if you are trying to shed pounds. You may be maintaining a proper nutrition plan and exercising regularly, but if you’re not getting enough sleep, your body may not be accepting your most sincere efforts to drop weight.
Michael Thorpy, MD and director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York said, "Sleep loss is associated with striking alterations in hormone levels that regulate the appetite and may be a contributing factor to obesity. Anyone making a commitment to lose weight should probably consider a parallel commitment to getting more sleep."You’re not getting enough sleep if…
+ You feel as if you need a nap during the day
+ You fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow
+ You easily catch colds &/or have trouble fighting one off
+ You have trouble getting out of bed in the morning
+ You have trouble concentrating
Eight reasons why you may not be getting enough sleep:
+ Interrupted sleep
+ Stress
+ Anxiety
+ Getting to bed too late
+ Exposure to noise
+ Exposure to light
+ Caffeine consumption
+ Alcohol consumption
So, how much sleep do you need?
WebMD suggests that each age category get the following number of hours of sleep each night:
Infants – Approximately 16 hours
Teenagers – Approximately nine hours
Adults – Range between five and ten hours
Don’t let your weight loss efforts go to waste; get plenty of sleep.
