These are notes from my weight management class. Any inaccuracies are the fault of the note taker. This discusses the importance of sleep.
– Over the past 40 years, the number of adults who sleep less than 7 hrs moved from 16% to 37%
– Lack of sleep means less energy, illness, more eating, cranky, less willpower.
– We are less alert, mental status, workplace error, less quality of life, impact our appetite.
– Need to focus on our impact on our metabolism and life.
– There is a possible line between sleep and obesity:
– 6 hrs. sleep 23% more likely to be obese than those sleep 7=9 hrs.
– Individuals who sleep 5 hrs. per night was 50% more likely to be overweight.
– Individuals who sleep for less than 4 hrs. per night was 73% more likely to be overweight than those who sleep 7-9.
– Afternoon naps can be added to the number of hours.
– If you can’t sleep get up and do something to get off the worry. maybe write down the things you are worrying about.
Why is lack of sleep related to obesity?
– When sleep deprived it influences the hormones that manage.
– Leptin hormone (makes you feel full). Lower leptin can make you think you are starving and you burn calories more slowly.
– Ghrelin: produce in stomach tells us when we are hungry. higher before a meal. It increases with weight loss.
– Peptide YY: makes you feel full.

Improve sleep by:

– Decrease sources of stress
– Lack of physical activity or don’t exercise sleep better
– Not being able to turn the brain off at night
– Waiting for kids or attending kids
– Your partner who has a different sleeping partner.
– Need to find something that will read a good book or a warm bath that tones down the body.
– Some like a long commute as it gives time to destress from work.
– Change the environment that interrupts your sleep.
– Go to bed 30 min early.

Do you have something to add? If you do, please share in the comment section of this blog.