After all, losing weight is about effort. The more you do, the better the results. You have probably heard from countless people already that you should not dream about any simple method – you need to work hard to lose those pounds.
This is true in most cases. Excessive adipose tissue is a matter of too many calories. Therefore, it makes sense to take measures such as: portion control, eating healthier foods and eliminating fattening ones, watching out one’s snacking habits, being more active than sedentary, making a workout schedule and staying committed to it. All these will help one ingest fewer calories and burn more of those already stored as fat.
The connection between sleep and weight
There are many aspects related to sleep that can lead one to gain fat. What most people know is that, as they sleep, digestion slows down and thus the nutrients can be stored as fat with much more ease.
On the other hand, too little sleep can also lead to weight gain. When the body does not have the chance at proper rest during the night hours, it starts producing more cortisol, which is a stress hormone.
This triggers more eating and lets the body store more fat throughout the day. The connection between cortisol and adipose tissue has been proven extensively. It is true, however, that even too much sleep will cause unwanted effects – although the calorie consumption is low during that time.
If you had a big meal right before going to sleep and you did not have enough time to properly digest it, then the digestive process will be hindered; the body stores calories during sleep, because it does not need to consume these.
Is it really possible to lose weight overnight?
Considering the aspects above, it can be difficult to understand how we can lose weight while we sleep. Here are some important clues, though.
Apart from the vital role of a good night rest (during which the body replenishes and resets itself), there is also the re-balancing of hormones. In addition to that, some people simply sweat a lot during sleep and thus they lose water weight.
This was explained by Australian physics teacher Derek Muller, who also showed how we lose carbon while asleep. Apart from sweat, we also exhale vapors of water, which adds to the body weight we get rid of. Anyone can use the scales and measure they weight at night, then in the morning before they go to the toilet.
Basically, you’re losing weight through your vital functions but this, of course, may not be enough to give you your dream silhouette. It’s the hormonal aspect that does. And this exactly what you should be working on, because diets, loads of sleep and even sweating may never get you to accomplish much in this regard.
How to lose weight while you sleep ?
Your best bet is to act on the body’s own mechanisms, on its ability to burn fat when you are not working, exercising, thinking etc.
This can be achieved through certain habits, but also through what you eat and drink, or through supplementation.
It is about what you do during the day and especially right before going to bed. How do you prepare for sleep?
Are you loading your body with heavy foods, calories and stress, or are you facilitating its subtle night-time work? Below you will find some of the most efficient ways to burn fat while you sleep:
- Improve your sleep
You can do this either with tryptophan, a sleep inducing nutrient found in many foods and supplements, with the hormone melatonin or by drinking soothing herbal teas (valerian, chamomile, lavender, melissa, peppermint) that promote a more relaxed mental state.
It’s important to get enough deep sleep to regulate your metabolism and keep your waist slim. You should also slow down and avoid stimulating activities, as well as bright screens. Spend time with a fiction book and a reading light instead, right before going to bed. Have a nigh-time ritual to slow you down and bring the sleepy feeling.
- Pay more attention to your lunch
Lunch needs to become the most important meal of the day. That’s when you have to ingest most of your food – not at dinner. Also, remember to have whole grains with your meals. You are free to eat carbohydrates as well for lunch but try to avoid them in the evening. Whole grains actually provide loads of carbs which are used to make serotonin. From serotonin, your body makes melatonin, the sleep hormone.
- Skip the alcohol
Although it may help you unwind and go to bed earlier, alcohol at night is quite a bad idea. First of all, it can have plenty of calories which are not going to be properly digested in the coming hours and thus these get stored as fat. Secondly, alcohol interferes with your ability to have a deep and restful sleep. Drink it early in the evening if you must have it and stick to one glass only. Give your body about three hours to metabolize alcohol before you go to sleep.
- Be strict with your kitchen trips
If you cannot have a big dinner in order to lose weight, then don’t assume you can have snacks during the evening or night. You simply have to avoid loading your stomach prior to sleep. Don’t nibble on foods, especially since most snacks are high-calorie, even those deemed as healthy, like nuts.
Protein shakes are allowed, however. Make sure you’re getting the kind that’s based on protein alone and does not deliver fats or carbs. Make a strict schedule and stick to it – for example no more cooking after 7 pm and no trips to the fridge from 9 pm onwards.
- Increase protein intake at dinner
It is a proven fact – by eating more protein at dinner you increase your resting metabolic rate for the whole night. This means you can burn more fat as you sleep. However, you don’t have to prepare heavy meals such as a big steak. Instead, opt for a protein shake that you can make with special powder.
It’s easy to digest and provides enough of the nutrient you need. Just make sure it’s not the energizing type, with ingredients that stimulate the body and make you alert. There’s vegetarian and vegan protein too, so pick the kind that suits you.
- Sleep in a cool environment
For a long time already it’s been said that a cool bedroom improves health. It also helps you lose weight effortlessly. If you’re warm or hot for the night hours, then your body no longer needs to do anything in this regard. When the air is cool though, it has to burn its stored fat in order to warm up. Therefore, turn on the AC for a while or, if it’s during winter, turn the heat down and don’t wrap up in blankets that make you hot.
- Keep your hormones in check
Anyone struggling with a weight issue must see an endocrinologist. A hormone specialist will assess the health of their glands and the hormonal levels that are relevant to the said issue. The pancreas, adrenals, thyroid and sexual glands all have a big role in each person’s metabolism. These glands determine its speed – the rate at which the body consumes nutrients and burns fat.
Sometimes, reaching a healthy weight is all about tweaking your hormone levels. There are various medications, as well as natural remedies and therapies that can work on that. Once fixed, the responsible gland(s) will keep your metabolism within the normal parameters and help you lose weight during sleep, too.
- Drink weight loss teas
You may have heard about green or black tea and their fat busting effects. However, these also have a similar action to coffee so it’s never good to drink a cup in the afternoon or evening. Still, you can have other herbal teas that will assist you with your weight loss goals.
Spices like cinnamon are wonderful for such purpose – you can easily prepare a delicious tea that triggers a thermogenic effect (warms up the body by increasing the rate at which it burns fat to produce energy).
Thus, you will e enjoying this during the night, while you can rest without worries after you’ve had a steamy warming cup. Barberry tea is also an excellent choice. Barberry stems, fruits and root bark contain barberine, a compound which fights insulin resistance and prevents weight gain, even when a high-fat diet is concerned.
The plant also boosts one’s energy levels. Then, there is the “pu-erh” Chinese fat busting tea, lowering the triglycerides in your blood. However, if you wish to slim down with herbal teas, then remember to brew these daily and have at least a few cups.
Weight loss pills that can melt fat during the night
Out of the countless weight loss pills on the market, only a small percentage are suitable if you wish to melt fat round the clock. Such pills are usually advertized accordingly. Not any slimming pill will be beneficial in that regard. For example, a formula containing stimulants such as caffeine, ginseng, green tea etc. must be taken in the morning and never late in the day.
Otherwise it will keep you awake at night. If you wish to enjoy the night time benefits, then look for a product that acts on your metabolic rate. There are ones that give your metabolism a boost that lasts well into the night, until morning.
This means your body can burn more calories on its own, even during sleep. You can find pharmaceutical-grade products of this kind, as well as really safe natural ones, with a milder yet certain action.
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Is this appropriate for quick weight loss?
You should not expect to get in shape within, let’s say, a month, only by taking care of your nighttime weight loss. Although your metabolism gets a 24-hour boost, it does not necessary lead to rapid weight loss; the effects show in time.
This is a slow but certain weight loss method. If you have patience, you will get to enjoy better results that you would if you tried only dieting or exercise. Still, the latter have an enormous value and will boost the results tremendously.
What prevents you from losing weight while you sleep?
The biggest culprit is usually a large and heavy dinner. Eating too much for the last meal of the day slows you down. Since it is tired already, your body cannot handle digestion accordingly and thus goes into fat storing mode. Besides, heavy dinners don’t make one feel good; these will take their toll and make you toss and turn until you finally fall asleep. Or, your sleep will be superficial.
You don’t necessarily have to eat less. It may happen that the quantity is just right – it’s the late hour that makes you fat eventually. High levels of insulin at bedtime will hamper your ability to lose fat. If you have to eat late at night, at least avoid starches and sugars. Additionally, any stimulants consumed during the day might keep you awake, depending on your sensitivity.
Even chocolate eaten in the evening can have a serious impact, since it contains some amounts of caffeine. Don’t risk keeping your body awake and not having enough hours of sleep.
If you start to implement the solutions given in this article, you will not only observe that your lipid layer is decreasing; you will see shifts in your energy patterns during the day, enjoy more restful sleep and generally feel much better. Besides, the better your mood gets, the more you are capable to accomplish in terms of weight loss.
