At 40 Could You Ever Just, Sleep Yourself Slimmer?
Sleep can be a powerful force for good or bad, where your weight loss is concerned. As the great Qui-Gon Jinn put it, ‘Your focus determines your reality’ So focus.
Getting good sleep can help fight belly fat and promote weight loss.
THE BRIEF
Time to read: 5 minutes 3 seconds
Time to action: 10 minutes
Mantra: Good sleep helps beats belly fat storage
Main message: Sleep to fight stomach fat? Win-win
Stat: Sleeping 5 hours or less = 32% more likely to gain weight | Sleeping 6 hours = 12% more likely to gain (compared with those sleeping 7–8 hours)
Imagine if a sure-fire way to get yourself in shape was just to sleep. No lifting, no running, no calorie-controlled eating. To quote from the one and only Obi-Wan Kenobi, from ‘ A certain point of view’, it is doable. Sort of.
Sleep deprivation causes the body to release more cortisol during the day. One of the significant side effects of producing cortisol without using it to fuel the (rarely needed) fight/flight response is an increase in fat storage around your abdominal area. The trick then, assuming you are not being attacked or attacking anyone, is to reduce cortisol production through better sleep. So whilst you may not be able ‘technically’ get fitter, you can, in fact, very much stop yourself from getting fatter. Still pretty good, right?
I GOT A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS
Cortisol's relationship with sleep and abdominal fat is, like a cliched Facebook update, complicated. Belly fat contains higher levels of an HSD enzyme, which activates dormant cortisol. The fat cells around your middle can become their own little cortisol-making factory. The dark side of staying in shape.
Luckily, cortisol is a regular little bugger that likes a routine. It follows a circadian rhythm, peaking around 11am and declines steadily during the day. Levels are at their lowest before 2am, then they rise again. This is why we feel a slump around 4pm – our body is telling us that the day is almost over. So we know what it is and what it does wrong - the big question - how do we fight it?
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS LUCK
The major problem with our late-to-bed,-early-to-rise post-pandemic lifestyle is that our cortisol levels never have time to dissipate fully, so our bodies never have a chance to recover. Fortunately, you can rebel against the cycle of increased body chemicals and the inability to let them subside by striking your path to calm and relaxation.
REBELLIONS ARE BUILT ON HOPE
Here are 10 things you probably know but still don’t do to help your body recover from modern living. So you know, do it.
1. Consistent Sleep Schedule
Maintain a regular sleep schedule, go to bed, and wake up at the same times every day - even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's internal clock. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night, as sleep deprivation can lead to increased cortisol levels.
2. Sleep Environment
Create a sleep-conducive environment in your bedroom. Ensure it is dark, quiet, and a comfortable temperature ( slightly cooler than your living room - cost of living and all).
3. Relaxation Techniques
Incorporate relaxation techniques into your bedtime routine. Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation will help lower stress and cortisol levels.
4. Sleep Snacks
Select bedtime snacks that promote sleep. Foods rich in tryptophan, like turkey, almonds, and warm milk, can help you relax. Avoid heavy, greasy, or spicy foods close to bedtime, as they may cause discomfort and disrupt your sleep.
5. Limit Liquids
Minimise your intake, especially alcohol and caffeine, in the evening. This can reduce the likelihood of waking up as well as removing the jitters and a slower cycle into quality sleep.
6. Unplugging Anxiety
Disconnect from work-related stress or emotionally ‘taxing’ conversations at least one hour before bedtime. Now is the time for calming rituals - journaling, stretching, reading - not PS5 or doom scrolling.
7. 30 minutes pre-sleep
Start to prepare the mind for sleep and relaxation about 30 minutes before you intend to close your eyes. Give yourself the ‘window’ to fall asleep in, don’t expect it to happen straight away, and add it to your sleep pattern. You might want 8 hours of sleep. Aim to be in bed for 8.5 hours, and, trust us, your work, social, and sleep anxiety are given enough time to fade into your subconscious.
LET THE PAST DIE. KILL IT IF YOU HAVE TO
Here is what you may not know, but if you can do it… well you’re looking sleep-slimmer already.
1. Red light therapy
Exposure to red light has been shown to improve sleep quality, reduce cortisol levels, and increase the production of melatonin. You can use red light bulbs in your bedroom.
2. Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Practice breathwork techniques, such as HRV training. This helps regulate your autonomic nervous system to reduce cortisol levels over time. There are a lot of apps on the market to guide you through the process.
3. Weighted blanket
The ‘deep pressure stimulation’ promotes relaxation and lower cortisol levels. They are particularly effective if your sleep issues are anxiety related.
4. Sleep Supplements
Explore natural sleep supplements like magnesium glycinate, ashwagandha, or valerian root. They can help calm the nervous system and support better sleep quality. They can also form a vital part of the nighttime rituals that help tell your body and brain to take it down a notch or ten.
5. Aromatherapy
Lavender or chamomile might sound a bit antiquated, but diffusing these oils helps to calm your senses, which aids neurological relaxation, which in turn helps reduce stress-related cortisol levels.
6. Stop. Cold shower time
Our core body temperature drops when we are preparing for sleep so helping the body cool down will improve your body’s ability to get on the nod.
7. Vitamin C uptake
When you are faced with a stressful situation, your vitamin C is rapidly used up in the production of cortisol. Pre-sleep vitamin C-rich snacks like strawberry or kiwi fruit can lower your cortisol levels and help you get to sleep faster.
If you can be a bit more Yoda, (do, or do not, there is no try) in your application of sleeping soundly, you can make Kenobi’s predictions come true. You will be slimmer through sleeping, from a certain point of view. Now, the pupil has become the master. Sleep well young Jedi.
DR DRAGON
A GP for an eclectic community, Dragon is a prolific author in the world of health. Award winning for his content creation and ability to answer the ‘actual’ questions asked of him, his theories are always worth listening to in looking for those little things that can make a real difference in our lives.
