Find your jeans are magically getting tighter and tighter? Chances are your washing machine played no part, but it also may not be your diet that’s totally to blame. According to researchers from the University of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, adults who have poor sleep patterns are more likely to be overweight and obese and have poorer metabolic health such as diabetes.

The complex relationship involving hormone disruption and fatigue that makes that trip to the gym seem ever more daunting, accompanied with some poor food choices that happen when you’re looking for that quick energy boost from foods high in sugar and fat, and you have yourself a recipe for disaster.

The relationship between sleeplessness and gaining unwanted kilo’s is worth noting and learning how to avoid. The truth is that overweight people tend to have poorer quality of sleep than those of average weight.

A study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information suggests that there’s a correlation between the current increase in obesity rates and poor sleep quality. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 63% of Australian adults are overweight or obese, with 1 in 4 children overweight or obese.

Poor sleep habits fuel weight gain; weight gain leads to sleeplessness. It’s a vicious cycle, which makes tackling the issue from both angles crucial.

Here are a few reasons why prioritizing sleep can help with weight management.

  1. Burn More Calories
    Being well rested means you have the energy to hit the gym when you wake up in the morning.
  1. Make Better Food Choices
    A good night’s sleep lessens the chance of making poor food choices like reaching for sugary snacks in search of a quick energy boost.
  1. Keep Your Brain Focused, Naturally
    There’s no need to reach for that extra cappuccino or energy drink just to stay alert.
  1. Helps Regulate Hormone Levels
    The body is able to regulate itself after a refreshing and rebooting night’s rest.

Prioritizing sleep is the first step in distancing yourself from the co-dependent relationship of sleeplessness and weight gain.

If you’re unsure where to start a great first step is creating a pre-sleep ritual to help trigger your body and mind that it’s time to start winding down. For some inspiration, check out the pre-Sleep Ritual’s of The Goodnight Co founders Shea and Danielle here.

Author(s)

  • Shea Morrison

    Co-Founder

    The Goodnight Co.

    Shea Morrison has worked in health & wellness for a while now. After a career in Media, Radio & Marketing in Brisbane, Shea became a Mum and her focus changed as she realised the importance of meaningful rest and connection. In 2014, Shea joined forces with friend, Mum and now business partner, Danielle Knight to create The Goodnight Co., a meaningful platform to help people fall back in love with sleep and prioritise meaningful rest. At the time, Shea & Danielle were sleep deprived Mums after just having had their youngest children. Launching with Silk Pillowcases & Silk Sleep Masks, the pair then spent the next five years researching and surveying hundreds of people about their sleep problems, gradually developing many more lines of products to help our customers build sleep rituals to solve these problems. Fast forward five years, millions of research papers and thousands of podcasts, Shea's passion continues to lie in sharing how better sleep can help everyone improve their day-to-day lives.
    With sleep problems still on the rise, Shea & Danielle were constantly being asked for more information on how to help people re-discover quality sleep. As a result, The Goodnight Co.'s first Sleep Retreats and Sleep Workshops launched in 2019. The Retreat & Workshops allow personalised help for those struggling with disrupted sleep patterns and provide a mixture of education and relaxation, science and deep sleep, meditation and mindfulness.
    For our Retreats, Shea & Danielle found the perfect location at Springfield Farm in the Southern Highlands of Bowral; a beautiful location with lots of space to connect with nature, fresh air, nourishing food and a space to support our guests, who could walk away feeling equiped with the tools to re-build their sleep rituals. For our business focused Workshops, Shea & Danielle have been able to connect with workplace professionals and provide tailored industry specific advice on how sleep can be impacting employees and what management and staff can do to improve this area of their health, and productivity.
    Along with The Goodnight Co., Shea is also a Mum to Max & Molly, wife, Director of boutique advertising agency, Collaborative Media, marriage celebrant, entrepreneur, and avid podcast subscriber.