Two things you don't usually get together: overweight and poor sleep? What could those possibly have to do with each other? Quite a lot, as recent studies show. Just one night of sleep deprivation leads to changes in our metabolism, and to the detriment of a "slender figure." We explain why you can actually "sleep yourself slim" and how sleep disorders can negatively affect our entire metabolism.
What impact do sleep disorders have on our health?
We all know the direct effects of poor sleep. After sleep deprivation, we feel unfocused, tired, irritable, and drag ourselves through the day. If we sleep less than 6 hours for several nights, sleep specialists compare it to a state similar to having a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent.
Almost everyone has experienced short episodes of lack of sleep. However, if sleep disorders become chronic and persist for several weeks, caution is advised, because poor sleep can have a direct impact on our health.
These can be the consequences of lack of sleep
- Susceptibility to infection: Not enough sleep can negatively affect the immune system. Our immune system works particularly effectively during sleep. If we lack sufficient sleep over a longer period, it can lead to a reduced immune defense.
- Danger to the cardiovascular system: Too little sleep means stress for the body. This can lead to an increased heart rate and a rise in blood pressure. Chronic lack of sleep can therefore have devastating long-term effects on our vascular system. The risk of heart attacks and strokes increases.
- Mental instability: chronic sleep problems can promote depression.
- Danger of metabolic diseases and overweight: Various studies have shown that sleep deprivation and sleep disorders not only have a direct effect on body weight, but also promote the development of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
How is the metabolism affected by poor sleep?
To understand what weight gain has to do with sleep disorders, we must first comprehend the influence that sleep deprivation generally has on our metabolism.
In a study by Uppsala University in Sweden, tissue samples from muscle and fat tissue were examined in subjects after one night of sleep deprivation to understand the effects on the metabolism.
On one hand, it was found in the samples that blood sugar increased overall, but muscle cells consumed less of the energy released as a result.
Instead of glucose, the muscle cells increasingly relied on proteins during sleep deprivation (muscle breakdown). Cortisol levels (cortisol is a stress hormone that activates catabolic metabolic processes in the body) were also elevated after one night of sleep deprivation.
The opposite reaction occurred in the fat cells, namely the storage of fat. Thus, increased activity of the enzymes required for energy provision could be observed. However, the energy provided in the form of glucose was not consumed, but instead provided the fat cells with the raw material for building up fat deposits, so to speak.
Why can poor sleep lead to being overweight?
In summary, the aforementioned study showed that even one night of sleep deprivation had serious effects on energy metabolism and the fat cells were striving to convert the excess energy (glucose) provided into depot fat.
Weight gain can be explained as a consequence of the shift in energy metabolism during sleep deprivation and the associated physical stress. As already described, sleep deprivation leads to an increase in blood sugar levels, presumably due to an increased release of the stress hormone cortisol. This, in turn, is likely caused by the stress that arises from the lack of sleep or sleep deprivation.
If the energy released as glucose is not consumed, the energy is converted into stored fat as an energy reserve. In this highly simplified presentation of the very complex metabolic processes during sleep deprivation, an increase in body weight with sleep disorders can therefore be understood.
In another study, it was also observed that even in young, healthy people, a shortened sleep duration led to a significant increase in visceral belly fat (dangerous fat) and that calorie intake also increased due to a lack of sleep.
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Seven tips for better sleep
Overweight caused by too little sleep can only be avoided through better sleep quality. Conversely, those who suffer from being overweight often sleep poorly as well. Sleep therefore seems to be of great importance for a healthy metabolism. The first goal should therefore be to ensure better sleep. You can do a lot for this yourself:
- Correct room temperature
Ensure a good sleep environment. Temperature perception varies, but the sleeping area should definitely not be too warm. On average, a sleeping temperature of 16-19 degrees Celsius is recommended. The sleeping room should be dark. This promotes the release of the hormone melatonin, which controls the sleep-wake rhythm.
- Light walk – without smartphone & Co.
If you suffer from trouble falling asleep, stay away from your smartphone and television for 1-2 hours before bed and go for a walk in the fresh air instead.
- Medicinal plants & Co. for more relaxation
If you notice that stressful days trigger sleep problems for you, you should first try soothing, herbal, and natural calming and sleep aids. These include, for example, extracts of lavender, passionflower, lemon balm, valerian, and hops. The herbal adaptogen ashwagandha and micronutrients such as B12, B6, the amino acid L-tryptophan, magnesium, and zinc can also have a positive effect on sleep quality and inner calm. Certain micronutrients are essential, among other reasons, because they are necessary for the smooth functioning of neurotransmitters in the nervous system.
In the long term, however, you should reduce stress-inducing factors, e.g., by consciously taking time off or managing your working hours better, e.g., not sitting at the PC late in the evening or having nerve-wracking conversations.
If you have irregular working hours or shift work, taking a product with melatonin may help you fall asleep. Dietary supplements with 1 mg of melatonin are available over the counter. A combination with calming medicinal plants is also possible and can enhance the positive effects.
- Medicinal plants for sleep problems during menopause
Sleep problems and weight gain during menopause are widespread and feared by women. Here, too, herbal combinations to support sleep and regulate the hormonal balance can make sense. It is best to accompany the first symptoms of menopause with appropriate intake.
- Stress reduction through relaxation exercises
If you suffer from sleep disorders, try to incorporate relaxation exercises into your daily routine. This can include breathing and mindfulness exercises, meditations, yoga, Qigong, progressive muscle relaxation, or simply a soothing audiobook before going to bed. Remember that you are also positively influencing your weight loss with this, which makes these rituals even easier.
- Pay attention to the gut flora
In a multitude of studies, a connection has been proven between sleep quality, stress, weight, diet, and the composition of the gut flora. Simply put, it can be said that bad nights also damage the gut flora through the release of stress hormones. Changes in the microbiome can, in turn, promote overweight. A healthy gut flora with many good lactic acid bacteria (e.g., bifidobacteria) also has an influence on important sleep-promoting neurotransmitters (chemical messengers of the nervous system such as serotonin), as these good gut bacteria are involved in their synthesis.
The healthy release of these messengers is in turn important for sleeping well. So think of your gut flora in this context too, because it seems to be involved, through its individual composition, in whether we gain weight easily or with difficulty.
- See a doctor for sleep disorders after four weeks
If sleep disorders persist for more than four weeks, do not wait and see a doctor. There are a wide variety of causes for chronic sleep disorders. Due to the serious health consequences for the body and mind, it is important to have chronic sleep disorders treated professionally.
Conclusion
More and more studies show that there is a connection between the development of overweight and sleep disorders. The worse our sleep quality is, the more we seem to magically attract excess weight.
Sleep disorders are exacerbated by stress. Stress, in turn, influences our energy metabolism and our hormonal systems (hormones are chemical messengers). Therefore, it seems most sensible to reduce stress-inducing factors and do everything possible to ensure good sleep quality.
Since this is sometimes not possible on the spot, it can initially be helpful, for example, to provide support with sleep-promoting and calming medicinal plants as well as the targeted use of micronutrients, thus gently facilitating "sleep." In the long term, however, care should be taken to eliminate the cause of the sleep problems. A doctor should always be consulted for chronic sleep disorders.
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