Nowadays, getting enough sleep and eating right seems like a big mystery that many of us can’t seem to get right most of the time. It is obvious with the rising numbers of overweight and obese individuals and the numerous sleep clinics catering to hordes of individuals having sleep issues. The distractions are endless and odd sleeping patterns are no longer surprising as the distinction between day and night blurs all the more as the days, months, and years pass by. More often than not, humans compensate for their lack of sleep by eating lots of sleep or drinking caffeine. It gives them a temporary energy boost they badly need to finish their tasks and make it through one more day. It is the reason why many are trapped in this endless cycle that not only affects the quality of their lives but also shorten their lifespan.
The solution to this growing dilemma has been staring us right in the face all along. We don’t really have to look far to be able to get a hold of our health and protect us from life-threatening complications. All we need to do is to sleep. Yes, sleeping longer is the key to living healthily as it allows you to stick to a clean and healthy diet without any fuss at all. It is like hitting two birds with one stone. You don’t need to be a genius to find out the connection between proper sleep and diet. The more shut-eye you get, the more energy you have to do more and explore the world and you won’t have to rely on food a lot especially the processed and sweet ones to keep you going even when you don’t feel like it.
Those of us partial to a lie in woke up to good news this week, as a new study showed that a good night’s sleep can help with weight loss.
We’re often told to eat less and move more to lose weight, but according to the research by scientists at King’s College London, simply spending an extra 90 minutes in bed could also be a solution.
Lack of sleep was already known to be a risk factor for obesity, because it alters levels of hormones which control appetite. The new research discovered that lifestyle factors are also at play. Participants in the study who get more sleep choose healthier foods within a week, eating on average 10 grams less sugar each day. They were less likely to pick sugary treats, or reach for comforting carbohydrates.
(Via: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/surprising-health-benefits-staying-bed/)
Of course, while sleep is crucial in the equation, the participants in this study were also told to steer away from caffeine, not to eat a lot before bed, and to try to do something relaxing before hitting the sack. Such pieces of advice are good in itself but when heeded by the participants, they were able to sleep for longer, which is what our body needs just like food, water, and air. Well-rested participants reduced their sweets and carbohydrate consumption unlike the participants belonging to the control group who did not experience any changes to their sleeping pattern. This just goes to show that a simple lifestyle change can trigger a domino effect of positive improvements that can boost your health and well-being.
Adults who increased the amount of sleep they had reported consuming less sugary foods and making better nutritional choices, according to the King’s College London (KCL) study.
Researchers said the findings strengthened the link between lack of sleep and a poor quality diet.
The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, sought to increase sleep in 21 adults getting less than the recommended minimum of seven hours every night.
The group undertook a sleep consultation aiming to extend their time in bed by 1.5 hours.
Perhaps in our subconscious, we are aware that we can take the big leap on our health if we just get that needed shut-eye each night but I guess old habits die hard. Along with our fondness of stretching our bedtime into the wee hours of the morning, we unknowingly harm our health by making our bodies crave for sweets and other sugary and high caloric food to compensate for our lack of sleep, so we somehow function normally in front of others throughout the day. Fortunately, just sleeping longer can apparently solve this perennial dilemma many are facing these days.
I wish it was also that easy to solve the problem involving sleep apnea, but sadly no. It is a medical condition that warrants a medical solution. CPAP is usually the first thing that comes to mind but many aren’t exactly thrilled at the thought of connecting themselves to that machine in their slumber. If you feel that the CPAP machine is too burdensome for you, you can always try the more convenient options like anti-snoring mouthpieces that may not be as effective as CPAP but still does the job of keeping you safe and alive one night at a time. You can take your pick from https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solution or https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx. That way, you no longer have to worry about losing sleep and you don’t fall victim to obesity and its long list of health complications like most people do nowadays.
