Since our childhood, our parents have been making an effort to adopt the important habit of going to bed early, with the aim of performing correctly in school the next day.
It is demonstrated that the fact of sleeping little is not only related to a decrease in the state of concentration, but it is also related to irritability, fatigue and even with greater risk of suffering from psychiatric illnesses. Also, if you have proposed losing weight, this lack of sleep may make it difficult to reach your goal.
What happens when we do not rest enough?
We are used to very long working hours, leaving very little time for leisure activities, so many of us sacrifice a good rest to prioritize these activities. But really, is it positive to have these habits? Would the time reform that many of us set ourselves be useful? It’s a matter of priorities; this article will help you understand what happens in our body when we do not provide adequate rest:
1. Increased appetite
When we deprive our body of a proper rest several alterations occur at the hormonal level. Lepton and Ghrelin are hormones responsible for regulating hunger. Ghrelin stimulates the appetite; however, Lepton is responsible for reducing it. When we do not rest enough, Lepton levels decrease, while those of Ghrelin increase, making those people who do not rest enough to be more prone to overweight or obesity since they will end up making more abundant intakes. That is to say, an increase of the fat mass ends up due to the increase of the appetite.
2. Tiredness
It has been observed in several studies that when there is a shortage of sleep we increase our food intake to try to supply the energy that we lack, as well as increase our consumption of coffee and energy drinks. It is important to remember that intake of caffeine higher than recommended can have harmful effects on our body and cause insomnia, nervousness, anxiety and even discomfort at the gastrointestinal level.
3. Difficulty losing body fat
The Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone. With sleep restriction, Cortisol blood levels are increased, a consequence that makes it difficult to lose body fat. I recommend you to promote relaxing activities to reduce stress levels and consequently reduce the amount of Cortisol in blood by using Nikken sleep system.
Lack of sleep and fat loss
You may also suffer from insomnia, the most frequent sleep disorder in our society. This can lead to different states such as alcoholism, malnutrition, or mental illness. In general, all these conditions will end up causing a reduction in life expectancy.
Tips to help you improve the quality of your rest and avoid insomnia:
Controls the consumption of stimulant drinks past noon, It is essential to control the consumption of beverages with caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks) as this substance can prevent us from falling asleep.
Avoid very heavy dinners
Use mild cooking, watch the quantities so that the food is not very abundant and prioritize low-fat foods to avoid heavy digestion. It also controls the consumption of foods that can cause flatulence and carbonated drinks just before going to sleep, to avoid the appearance of acid and reflux symptoms.
Watch with liquids
It is important to hydrate throughout the day with water, infusions, and vegetable broths. But if you wake up easily, you should control the intake of liquids from mid-afternoon, as it can interrupt our sleep.
Practice physical exercise
With physical exercise you will not only enjoy its clear benefits but it will also help you to stay active during the day and facilitate and improve your sleep hygiene.
Perform relaxing activities
Practice relaxing activities just before going to bed. They will help you provide an ideal environment for falling asleep. It is very important to avoid any exciting before going to sleep, not only drinks or food but also devices with screens, music, etc. Performing activities such as reading, meditating or simply relaxing, will promote a state of optimal relaxation. These habits will be good for you to combat the stress that, as we have commented previously, can also make it difficult for us to rest properly and lose weight.
Establish a quiet environment
To create a comfortable environment that encourages proper rest, it is essential to ensure that you keep your room in the best conditions to sleep that is, keep your bedroom dark and silent. In addition, establishing an hour to go to sleep and get up every day will help you take the routine and enhance the ease of falling asleep.