Bad sleep, gaining weight? The underestimated connection between sleep and weight loss

Good sleep is more than just rest – it also has a positive impact on your weight and health! Poor sleep often leads to weight gain, and those who are overweight often struggle with poor sleep.

🧪 Numerous scientific studies indicate that sleep plays a crucial role in weight control – both in the short term and long term. "When it comes to achieving a healthy weight, sleep is just as important a pillar as balanced eating and exercise," says Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a physician at the Sleep Center of Excellence at Columbia University.

But why is this the case?

Learn how sleep patterns and quality affect body weight. Here, you’ll also find the most valuable tips for healthy sleep. This way, you can learn to "lose weight in your sleep" – or, more accurately, how healthy sleep makes it much easier to lose weight.

Why you won't lose weight without healthy sleep

‼️ Increased appetite due to lack of sleep – It's the hormones' fault!

• Sleep deprivation affects the hormones leptin (the satiety hormone) and ghrelin (the hunger hormone). Lack of sleep lowers leptin levels and increases ghrelin, which leads to an increase in hunger.

• Additionally, cortisol (the stress hormone) rises with sleep deprivation, promoting cravings for unhealthy, calorie-dense foods.

‼️ Poorer fat burning and slower metabolism due to insufficient sleep

• Those who sleep less have a lower resting metabolic rate – meaning they burn fewer calories. The body operates in an energy-saving mode.

• Sleep deprivation can disrupt insulin levels, leading to poorer glucose metabolism and increased fat storage. It can also raise your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

  
  

‼️ Unhealthier diet

• A lack of good sleep not only increases appetite in general but can also influence the types of foods we crave. Research shows that tired individuals are more likely to reach for fatty and sugary foods, as the brain's reward center reacts more strongly to such foods.

‼️ Less physical activity

• When you're tired, you naturally move less, which reduces calorie expenditure. Motivation for exercise or physical activity decreases when both mental energy and physical stamina are lacking because we're simply exhausted.

• Good sleep increases motivation for more movement and exercise, which in turn can help improve sleep quality.

‼️ No motivation

• Poor sleep negatively affects the executive functions of the brain – the cognitive abilities that help us manage our time effectively, organize tasks, solve problems, and control impulses. This makes losing weight and sticking to resolutions much harder. You simply lack the energy and strength to follow through on your goals.

Tips for Better Sleep

✅ Stick to Consistent Bedtimes: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day – even on weekends. Only make exceptions for rare, important occasions – be as consistent as possible.An alarm or a daily reminder on your phone can prompt you to start your evening routine at the same time, leaving you with fewer excuses.

✅ Use natural light (in the morning) to stabilize your internal clock and feel more alert in the morning (i.e., try to go outside shortly after waking up). Sunlight plays an important role in regulating your natural sleep-wake cycle and offers several benefits: It stabilizes your internal biological rhythm, promotes melatonin production at night, improves sleep quality, boosts Vitamin D production, lifts your mood, and increases energy levels during the day. Try to spend as much time as possible outdoors in natural light, especially in the morning hours.

✅ Develop a relaxing evening routine, such as reading, meditation, taking a bath, or stretching. avoid strenuous activities or stressful conversations right before bed.

Dim the lights or, if possible, turn off bright lights in your environment about an hour before going to bed. This signals to your brain that it’s slowly time to wind down and prepare for sleep.

✅ No caffeine after lunch: Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, black tea, or cola after lunch. Caffeine stays in the body for several hours and can impair sleep quality by disrupting the natural sleep cycle and making it harder to fall asleep. Instead, opt for decaffeinated drinks or soothing teas like chamomile or peppermint, which promote relaxation.

✅ Reduce evening screen time: Blue light from smartphones and laptops inhibits melatonin production and can make it harder to fall asleep. Additionally, it’s harder to put down your phone on time compared to a book or something else. Often, you don’t realize how much time has passed or how tired you are while looking at a screen. In the device settings, you can usually activate a blue light filter. However, it’s even better to avoid smartphones, tablets, and other devices at least 60 minutes before going to bed.

✅ Light meals in the evening: Late heavy meals disturb digestion and sleep. Avoid fatty, sugary, or very protein-rich foods at dinner, and try not to eat too late.

✅ The right nutrients can help you fall asleep: Magnesium can promote muscle relaxation and make it easier to fall asleep (e.g., from nuts, seeds, or dark chocolate). Foods rich in tryptophan, such as oatmeal, yogurt, or bananas, support melatonin production.

✅ Incorporate exercise into your daily routine: Regular physical activity promotes good sleep and helps with weight loss. However, intense workouts should not be done right before bed. Gentle movements like yoga or evening walks are ideal, as they help you unwind, relax, and leave the worries of the day behind.

✅ Optimize your sleep environment – Create your comfort zone: Make sure your bedroom is quiet, tidy, dark, and well-ventilated. Turn your bed into a place of comfort and relaxation.

• Ensure Fresh Air by briefly opening the window before sleep.

• Make sure you have a comfortable mattress, a good pillow, and a pleasant blanket.

• Make the room dark for sleep using curtains or blinds.

• Create a comfortable room temperature – it should be on the cooler side.

• Keep your bedroom tidy and clean. Also, change your bed linens regularly to maintain a fresh and pleasant sleep environment.

• If outside noise is disturbing, background sounds (e.g., calming music) or earplugs can be a good solution. It also helps not to get upset by the noise, but instead try to ignore it. Focus on something else, like meditation.

• Devices that blink or glow should be moved to other rooms.

• Create a "digital detox zone": It's best to completely ban smartphones, tablets, and laptops from the bedroom. Charge them in the kitchen, for example, instead of on your nightstand.

✅ Use your bed for sleeping: Don't work, eat, or watch shows in bed, and try not to read in bed either. Otherwise, your body won’t associate your bed with sleep – and you won’t feel tired.

✅ Avoid alcohol: Alcohol worsens sleep quality, even though it may initially make you feel tired.

✅ Let go of stress: Techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation help calm the mind. You can also visualize a peaceful, beautiful place to make falling asleep easier. Herbal teas like chamomile, lavender, or valerian can promote relaxation. There are also apps with guided meditations that can help calm the mind and reduce stress.

✅ Journaling: A gratitude journal or journaling in general can help mentally close the day and increase satisfaction. Especially when you can’t sleep because many thoughts, to-dos, or worries are running through your mind, write them all down. Once you’ve put everything on paper that’s been swirling in your head, your mind will feel much clearer.

✅ Use sleep tracking wisely: Sleep tracking apps or fitness watches can help you monitor your sleep habits and identify patterns. However, be careful not to let the data stress you out too much.

✅ Warm bath (or shower) before bed: A warm bath or shower before sleep can raise your body temperature and stimulate circulation. When your body cools down afterward, it signals to your brain that it’s time for sleep. Additionally, the time spent in the bath provides relaxation, mindfulness, self-care, and helps you unwind.

✅ Stay consistent! If you can’t fall asleep, resist the urge to pick up your phone. Just lie there and rest. Relax without blaming yourself. If you can’t sleep for a longer time and can’t stay in bed anymore, you can do something relaxing like journaling, taking a bath, meditating, or drinking tea. However, avoid bright lights during this time.

👉 Tip: Also, check out our article on Building Healthy Habits: From resolution to routine.

🧐 Find out which of these tips works best for you.

Feel free to share your own tips or opinions about our suggestions with the Weightloss community in the comments and help us all sleep better!

Sleep & Weight Loss - Our Conclusion:

Sleep deprivation leads to weight gain and makes losing weight difficult! Invest in your health, it’s incredibly important!

Good sleep hygiene and a healthy lifestyle go hand in hand, so take them seriously.🌿😴