Do you know that the time in which you sleep can affect your weight loss process? Yes, That’s true! Your sleep time can influence the entire chemistry of your body. If you sleep at the right time for the right number of hours, you can lose a lot of weight.
But, what is the best time to sleep to lose weight?
According to experts, nighttime is the best time to sleep, if you want to lose weight. But more than the time itself, the number of hours you sleep matters a lot. It is important to sleep for as long as your body achieves a complete resting state. This is the state in which your body starts to metabolize the adipose tissue and eventually helps you shed extra pounds.
In this article, we will elaborate on the entire phenomenon of weight loss while sleeping. Also, you will get to know about some useful tips and tricks to lose weight while sleeping.
The non-REM sleep is the stage of light sleep and itself consists of different stages that eventually lead to REM sleep. During REM sleep, your brain activity increases, and also the ability of your brain to signal your body for fat burn increases.
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Best Time to Sleep to Lose Weight
Proper sleep is a very vital factor that plays a role in healthy weight loss. That’s why people ask, what time should I sleep at night to lose weight? Well, firstly you should keep in mind that for weight loss, It is important to stay persistent about your sleep time.
It means that the best time to sleep according to science is the time you set for yourself and stay consistent with it. If we keep this in mind, we think that it can happen at any time of the day. But you might be wrong.
When someone asks, at what time should I sleep to lose weight? The answer should be that nighttime sleep is more effective as compared to daytime. This is because when your brain perceives it’s nighttime, it can release more relaxing hormones that help you sleep better so that you can be more productive in the daytime.
Afternoon Sleep for Weight Loss
Therefore, having a proper night’s sleep and staying productive in the daytime can help you lose weight. But most people want to know about afternoon sleep. So, Is afternoon sleep good or bad for weight loss?
According to studies, the number of hours you sleep matters more than the time of the day you sleep. In the daytime, people mostly prefer to take a nap that is not too long. That nap is helpful for weight loss as it reactivates your brain for work and you can use energy in the best possible ways.
However, sleeping more than an hour in the daytime-afternoon noon can be a reason for gaining weight. As it makes you lazier. Also, you may not be able to reach that stage of sleep where your body can metabolize excess fat. So, sleeping in the afternoon is not related to weight loss.
How Many Hours to Sleep for Weight Loss? Sleep Cycle Explained!
When someone asks, how many hours should I sleep to lose weight, he must understand the sleep cycle. This is because the sleep cycle can only answer the question, how much time should I sleep for weight loss.
The health experts mostly suggest sleeping 8 to 10 hours a day can be beneficial if you want to lose weight. So, what might be the reason behind sleeping this much time to lose weight? Well, the reason is that your sleep consists of non-REM and REM sleep.
The non-REM sleep is the stage of light sleep and itself consists of different stages that eventually lead to REM sleep. During REM sleep, your brain activity increases, and also the ability of your brain to signal your body for fat burn increases. Your body can metabolize fat during this sleep stage.
The muscle relaxation and brain activity of your body increase in this stage. So, it is important to sleep at least 8 hours to achieve longer REM stages, so that your sleep can help you with weight loss.
Weight Loss During Sleep – Scientific Evidence and Reasons!
According to scientific evidence, during an overnight sleep, the fat cells can utilize glucose and energy. In deep sleep, the brain signals the body to utilize the extra fat in the adipose tissues.
So, Does lack of sleep cause weight gain? Yes, lack of sleep enhances stress, and the production of stress hormone or cortisol increases in our body. Cortisol can store more fat in our body and it also disturbs metabolism. It usually stores the fat around vital organs to protect them from the harmful effects of stress. So, lack of sleep can cause weight gain.
Also, the lack of sleep can disturb the balance between the hormone ghrelin and leptin. Leptin is the hormone of fullness and Ghrelin is the hunger hormone. When your sleep isn’t adequate, more ghrelin and less leptin are released. This can lead to increased hunger and hence you end up eating a lot and gaining weight.
However, when you sleep properly for 8 to 9 hours, your body gets enough time to metabolize the extra fat cells. Also, your body can repair your muscles so that they can stay active when you wake up the next day. Also, in deep sleep, your body releases growth hormones that help you lose weight rapidly.
Sleeping Position to Lose Belly Fat
It might sound ridiculous but there are a few sleeping positions that can help you lose belly fat. The best way is to alternate between a supine and prone position. The prone position is when you’re lying on your stomach. It is useful to burn for weight loss as it prevents the accumulation of more fat on the belly.
Also, the supine position is when you’re sleeping on your back. It is the best position for digestion of food, so it also helps with belly fat loss. However, if you want to have sound sleep, sleep in the position in which you’re more comfortable. A position of comfort is more important to get a sound sleep.
Tips and Tricks to Lose Weight While You’re Asleep!
A lot of people ask what to do before bed to lose weight? There are some tips to follow to sleep effectively that can also help you with weight loss. That’s what we may call a sound sleep. So, whatever you’ll do to have a good sleep will also influence healthy weight loss. So here are some best ways to sleep for weight loss.
- Try drinking a protein shake before sleeping as it can help your body repair your muscles and can also help with sound sleep.
- Have a small portion of the meal at dinner time as it can help your body to metabolize it easily and then use the fat stores for energy.
- Avoid drinking alcohol before going to bed as it will not allow your brain to reach the level of REM sleep to burn more calories.
- Set a consistent bedtime for yourself to get a proper sleep pattern that can help you lose weight.
- Do not do exhausting exercise before bedtime as it will make it difficult to achieve a sound sleep and will not cause weight loss.
- Turn off the gadgets before sleeping as these devices will not let you get into a deep sleep stage.
- Try to sleep in complete darkness as darkness can help your brain realize the sleep hormone melatonin.
- Do a body massage before going to bed as it can be relaxing for your brain and you can sleep properly.
- Yoga or mild stretching can help achieve a deep sleep stage that can also help in weight loss during sleep.
FAQs
Question: How Should I sleep to lose weight?
You should first decide a time to go to bed daily and then stay consistent. Also, avoid distractions while you’re sleeping and get enough sleep so that you can wake up active and energetic. Do not eat much before sleeping.
Question: Do you lose weight when you sleep at night?
Yes, when you have longer REM sleep stages, you are more likely to lose weight. This is possible when you get a comfortable sleep of at least 8 hours. Also, if you do not eat a lot before going to bed at night, there are more chances of weight loss.
Question: Does the time you sleep affect weight loss?
Yes, nighttime sleep is more effective as compared to daytime. Also, if you sleep earlier at night and wake up early in the morning, you can stay more productive. This habit can help a lot with weight loss.
Question: Is sleeping during the day good for weight loss?
Daytime sleep is not considered good for weight loss. This is because it makes you lazy and unproductive. Also, you do not feel energetic and can’t do enough activities to utilize energy. Hence you end up gaining weight.
Bottom Line
If you want to know about the best time to sleep to lose weight, you should first understand how sleep affects weight loss. The science behind weight loss and sleep is that getting enough sleep of 8 to 10 hours can have a healthy effect on weight loss.
A good night’s sleep can produce enough weight loss hormones in your body. Also, when you’re in deep sleep, your body can metabolize the fat and hence it becomes easy for you to lose weight. But remember to follow the essential tips and tricks before trying to follow a healthy sleep schedule for weight loss.
