Sleep is often overlooked when it comes to fat loss because people are too worried about eating 500 calories a day and killing themselves in the gym. However, having adequate quality sleep can play a major role in losing body fat.
Sleep deprivation can lead to many things. Firstly, insufficient sleep can lead to a decrease in your lepton levels (your satiety hormone) and an increase in your ghrelin levels (your hunger hormone).
Sleep deprivation can lead to an increase in cortisol levels (your stress hormone) which can stagnate the rate in which you lose body fat.
Lack of sleep can also alter glucose homeostasis and activate the orexin system (a neuropeptide that regulates arousal, wakefulness, and appetite).
A tip to remember is to always maintain a good sleeping pattern throughout the week. Aim to fall asleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Proper sleep needs to be a consistent factor in our everyday lives in order for its effects to be positive on the human body.
All of these different effects due to sleep deprivation can have an affect on the control of your appetite and might compromise the efficacy of dietary interventions.
Fat loss is simple for everyone. As human beings we complicate and make it harder on ourselves to lose body fat. A structured training program, a structured nutrition plan placing you in a healthy calorie deficit, and a proper sleeping routine are good starting points to attack the body fat loss you desire!
Yours in health,
Coach Alex Kassis
