Will Getting More Sleep REALLY Help You Lose Weight?

If you’ve spent any amount of time in the weight loss world, you have no doubt heard it by now: Being short on sleep will affect your weight loss.

But will it REALLY affect your weight loss? And if so, how exactly does this work??

Aside from all of the biochemical and hormonal changes that lack of sleep produces, the most basic observation is that when you’re short on sleep, it’s easy to lean on a large sugary latte and junk food to get moving. Or it’s because you might be tempted to skip exercise because you’re too tired, or you’re too tired to cook so you opt for takeout for dinner… the butterfly effect of too little sleep seems to go on and on.

I mean, the idea has real merit. I can vouch for the fact that tired, cranky Gingi is no fun to be around and doesn’t always make the wisest choices. But aside from skimping on sleep setting your brain up to make bad decisions, the SCIENCE of brain chemistry proves that lack of sleep dulls activity in the brain’s frontal lobe, the locus of decision-making and impulse control. Yikes!

Regardless of how you look at: medically, logically, and subjectively: Lack of sleep is no bueno.

Now for the sobering news: Statistics show that more than a third of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep on a regular basis. And experts all agree that getting enough shut-eye is as important to health, well-being, and your weight as are diet and exercise.

Let me repeat that last bit one more time:

Getting enough shut-eye is as important to health, well-being, and your weight as are diet and exercise.

If this is true.. like, really, really true… then this could be a game changer for many on the journey of weight loss!

Shifting Your Mindset About Sleep

Most people (myself included) tend to focus on just ONE aspect of weight loss, completely ignoring the bigger picture. Some focus on diet primarily (*cough*ME*cough*) and some focus on fitness. But what if sleep were given EQUAL FOCUS as the other two?

What if we started to view sleep like nutrition for the brain?

What if we carved out time as a form of fitness for the brain?

Studies prove again and again, unequivocally, that this would literally promote weight loss, along with a cascade of other health and wellness benefits.

The consensus is that most people need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. With this in mind, I am going to double down on my goal of getting 7 hours OR MORE of sleep each night, and I will be adding “kick ass sleep” to my checklist of things to elevate, uplevel and focus on in my quest for a healthy weight, mind, and spirit.

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MY CURRENT WELLNESS JOURNEY STATS

Start Weight (January 1, 2021): 217.8 pounds

Current Weight (June 15, 2021): 172.5 pounds

Total Pounds Lost: 45.3 pounds

Pounds Left to Lose to Reach Goal Weight of 130 pounds: 42.5 pounds

Current Challenge: 21 Day Elevate Your Shower Time Challenge

Current Area of Focus: Brain health and getting enough restorative sleep.