6 Ways to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

Now we know that less sleep can lead to a higher level of cortisol and an increased storage of fat, is there anything else we need to know about hormones and sleep and what can we do to make our sleep better?

Yes!  There are some more hormones at play here.  The amount of sleep you get per night plays a role in two other hormones: Ghrelin and Leptin.

Ghrelin is responsible for telling you to eat while leptin is responsible for telling you when to stop eating.  When we get only a few hours of sleep, the production of ghrelin increases and this gives our appetite a kickstart.  Not only that, but being sleep-deprived also slows your metabolism.

Adding in Leptin & Ghrelin (your appetite in overdrive + slower metoblism) + less than optimal cortisol output = a recipe for weight-gain disaster!

And what about this thing called the “Sleep Diet”?

Technically you can’t lose weight while you sleep, but the amount of sleep you get per night plays a role in how your body produces sleep-related hormones which affects fat storage and this can affect your ability to shed or hang onto fat.

Exactly how much sleep should be getting each night?

The optimal numbers range from 7-9.5 hrs per night.  Anything below is asking for trouble.

Here are some natural and easy ways to improve your night’s rest:

• Sleep in absolute complete darkness (I’m talking putting pieces of electrical tape over your cell phone or alarm clock lights)
• Take melatonin (melatonin naturally occurs when we sleep and is a powerful antioxidant but as we get older, its production rate decreases)
• Take valerian root (although it smells like dirty socks, it’s a great plant-based sleep aid)
• Take GABA (again, we produce GABA naturally – this amino acid turns the brain “off” so your mind can actually take a mental break and get some rest)
• Give those carbs the cold shoulder!
• Exercise!  Hey, when are you coming in for your next workout, by the way?  😉

Sleep is a big priority for us and we want to know:

Are you getting your 7.5-9 hours per night?

Have you changed your sleep patterns and noticed a change in your ability to shed weight?

Or have you noticed a positive effect of getting more quality sleep?

Image Credit via Flickr.