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The impact of Sleep on Health And Fat Loss

Improving sleep patterns in your clients can be a powerful tool for promoting fat loss and overall health. Kelly Weideman explains.

Research shows that sleep plays a critical role in regulating hormones, metabolism, and appetite, and chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to weight gain and obesity. Additionally, getting enough quality sleep can improve energy levels, reduce stress, and support healthy eating and exercise habits.

Science supports the notion of improving sleep patterns for enhanced health and fat loss. For example:

  • Sleep deprivation can disrupt hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism, increasing the likelihood of overeating and weight gain. (St-Onge, Roberts, Shechter, & Choudhury, 2016)
  • Lack of sleep can reduce insulin sensitivity, which can contribute to weight gain and obesity. (Tasali, Leproult, & Van Cauter, 2008)
  • Poor sleep quality can lead to a decrease in physical activity and exercise performance, which can impede weight loss efforts. (Baron, Reid, & Malkani, 2017)
  • Sleep deprivation can cause an increase in cortisol, a stress hormone that is associated with increased abdominal fat. (Ehrmann, Tasali, Van Cauter, & Shah, 2019)
  • Getting adequate sleep can increase energy levels and reduce fatigue, making it easier to engage in physical activity and burn calories. (Schmid, Hallschmid, Jauch-Chara, Wilms, & Benedict, 2008)
  • Good sleep habits can promote the release of growth hormone, which can help to maintain muscle mass and reduce body fat. (Van Cauter, Leproult, & Plat, 2000)
  • Sleep deprivation can increase the desire for high-calorie, high-fat foods, which can contribute to weight gain. (Spaeth, Dinges, & Goel, 2013)
  • Regular sleep patterns can help to regulate circadian rhythms, which can improve metabolism and promote fat loss. (Potter & Cade, 2018)
  • Lack of sleep can impair decision-making and impulse control, making it more difficult to resist unhealthy food choices. (Killgore, 2010)
  • Getting adequate sleep can reduce stress and promote overall well-being, which can contribute to a healthier lifestyle and greater weight loss success. (Crabtree, 2021).

To improve sleep patterns, it’s important that your clients establish a regular sleep routine and aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and screen time before bed can also be helpful, as well as creating a calm and comfortable sleep environment. They can also practise relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or gentle stretching can help to reduce stress and promote restful sleep.

By prioritising good sleep habits, your clients can support their body’s natural weight management mechanisms and improve their overall health and wellbeing.

7–9
hours

References:

  • Baron, K. G., Reid, K. J., & Malkani, R. G. (2017). Sleep and exercise in chronic conditions. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 12(2), 271-279.
  • Crabtree, J. (2021). How sleep impacts weight loss. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-sleep-impacts-weight-loss.
  • Ehrmann, D. A., Tasali, E., Van Cauter, E., & Shah, N. L. (2019). Enhanced cortisol production rates, free cortisol, and 11β-HSD-1 expression correlate with visceral fat and insulin resistance in men: effect of weight loss. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 104(1), 71-80.
  • Killgore, W. D. (2010). Effects of sleep deprivation on cognition. Progress in Brain Research, 185, 105-129.
  • Potter, G. D., & Cade, J. E. (2018). Hard to swallow: a review of the impact of sleep disordered breathing in obesity. Nutrients, 10(10), 1485.
  • Schmid, S. M., Hallschmid, M., Jauch-Chara, K., Wilms, B., & Benedict, C. (2008). Sleep timing may modulate the effect of sleep loss on energy expenditure. Physiology & Behavior, 95(5), 660-664.
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Kelly Weideman

Kelly is the Co-Founder of global health tech company Evolt which is deemed by some as the Uber of body scanners. Guided by her belief that ultimate success is a healthy body and mind, Kelly has been on a quest to refine the best fit-tech platform to spread this mantra to the masses. Working with her co-founder and business partner, they are leading innovation to help make the world a healthier place through education and awareness of body composition metrics for everyday people. 

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Raising The Bar is published by FITREC and HealthyPeople. Before trying any new exercise, nutrition or health regimes, you should seek clearance from an appropriate health, medical or fitness professional. The information in this publication is not a substitute for advice or consultation with any health, medical or fitness professional. The health and fitness industries often provide conflicting – sometimes even contradictory – information; as the reader it is your responsibility to safely determine what does or does not work for you. Any prices stated are the recommended retail prices in Australian currency and may be subject to change. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, all parties associated with the production and publishing of this magazine accept no responsibility for the correctness of any facts and the copyright responsibility of all articles lies with individual contributors. Opinions expressed by the authors in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of other authors, the publisher or any of its production or publishing team. Copyright ©2024. All rights reserved. No material in this magazine may be reproduced without written consent from the publisher.