Sleep, overwhelm and weight - what's the connection?
I have talked a lot about the impact of a good/bad night's sleep, and its connection to daytime energy levels and even emotional balance (or lackthereof!). But how does this connect to weight?
Many of the clients I see need support with their energy levels, mood changes, hormone changes and so on, and often weight loss comes up in this conversation as well.
One of the challenges with losing weight, especially when we hit our mid-30's and beyond, is that our metabolism is changing. We might eat the same, exercise the same, but we can't seem to lose those last few kg - or worse, it keeps stacking on. This is an indication that your body is out of balance, and there are a few key items related.
SLEEP - If you're not sleeping properly, your body doesnt get that down time to clear waste products, properly rest and do all those other processes needed to re-set for a new day. This can lead to a build up of toxins in your body and brain, sending signals to the rest of the body that there's something wrong (think inflammation). - We also burn fat while we sleep. Yes, thats right, fat loss happens when we aren't moving as much - amazing huh! So if you're not getting enough hours of sleep then that's a wasted opportunity :) - We change our eating habits when we are tired, reaching for sweeter, more stimulating foods, often snacking more, all to counter the fatigue. This leads to higher blood sugar levels and as a result, lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
OVERWHELM
- Feeling overwhelmed can be because of lots of different things. What it does to the body though, is create stress, and this crreates inflammation.
- Feeling overwelmed or stressed then tells your body to store more fat, boosts your appetite and leads to eating more than you need.
- This then creates longer term habits that may be perpetuating the stress in your body
- And of course, stress leads to inflammation :(
So what does all this mean? If your body is primed to store fat, be inflamed, and more, then this affects the way your body produces and uses energy. This can lead to all sorts of complications, that only get worse when we hit menopause - but it's not all doom and gloom. Being able to reset your body, address the overwhelm and stress and get a great sleep routine going is absolutely possible. This helps our hormones get back into balance, boost our energy levels and have a more balanced mood. Best of all, weight loss is often a byproduct!
Wow, that seems like a lot, but it doesnt have to be. Working with a health professional who lives this every day can make a real difference. If you want to know more simply book afree 20 minute Health Reset call so we can chat about how you can be living your best life, really bring back that spark.