Could sleep be stopping your weight loss efforts?

Posted on October 20, 2018 in mental health, Uncategorised

We understand that even with the very best diet and fitness routine, if your sleep is off, even your very best weight loss efforts could go to waste! We frequently witness client complaints of controlling hunger, continually craving sweets and always needing to eat to give them energy. Despite their biggest efforts, they don’t seem to achieve the same results as their counterpart doing exactly the same HYPOXI-training.

The problem might seem like it is overeating, after all, one client acts on their craving, another doesn’t. However, if HYPOXI “isn’t working,” it probably means you need to look at other factors. And sleep comes top of this list.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 35 percent of people are sleep deprived. And when you consider that the statistic for obesity is similar, the connection seems like it is not simply a coincidence.

Trouble Sleeping?

You might be lacking in one of these vitamins.

Sleep deprivation is one of the first things that throw the best of weight loss intentions out the window. Several studies demonstrate that adults and children are more likely to be overweight when getting less sleep at night.

While the causes of sleep deprivation are frequently stress related, there are also some key nutrients that assist your bodies rest mechanisms. So before you pop a pill, why not try cleaning up your diet and eating right?

Here are three ways you can do just that:

I can’t fall asleep – Have a look at your magnesium levels. Magnesium is vital for regulating sleep and sleeplessness is one of the most obvious signs of a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is typically sourced from green leafy vegetables, pumpkin seeds, legumes and Brazil nuts. If you don’t get enough of these, a magnesium supplement taken in the evening might be just work for a relaxing night sleep.

I wake up continually at night – you might just be low in potassium. In fact a study at the University of Wisconsin showed that a gene in fruit flies that monitors potassium in the body is the same gene that encourages slow-wave sleep. Slow-wave sleep is the most restorative and deepest phase of our sleep cycle. If you need to up your potassium levels, try baked white potatoes, legumes, mushrooms and dried apricots.

I feel tired all day – a 2012 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine demonstrated a direct correlation between daytime sleepiness and vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is produced in the body via sun exposure, which means during the colder winter months this can be hard to achieve. Also, working 9-5 doesn’t help. Your best sources of vitamin D are fatty fish and fortified dairy products.