Why Sleep is Important for Weight Loss

If you struggle with your weight, it’s worth looking at your sleeping habits. If you struggle with sleep, chances are you’ll find dieting doesn’t shift weight as fast as you’d like — or stay off as easily once you’ve reached your goal. You might even plateau before you’re near your goal. That’s because sleep and weight gain are intimately entwined. Most of us have experienced how we feel when we don’t get enough sleep — grouchy, lacklustre and likely to reach for a sweet caffeinated pick me up. But that’s not the only reason why sleep is important for weight loss. That’s just a small part of a much bigger picture.

Sleep vs weight loss

When you’re trying to reduce your weight, it can be tempting to head to the gym for an evening workout or forego sleep for an exercise class. If exercise or any other activity means the sleep versus weight loss fight is being lost by sleep, you’re making your goal harder to reach.

Is the contest between sleep and weight-loss sabotaging your health? Photo by Solal Ohayon on Unsplash

When it comes to losing weight, sleep is just as important as exercise and diet. All three lifestyle aspects need to be taken care of for your body to function properly. Most of us know that diet and exercise are important for reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, but sleep is part of the ultimate trifecta for winning a healthy body (and mind).