It is a well documented fact that insufficient sleep interferes with metabolism and even on the best diet you will not lose weight without enough sleep.  There are two questions I had on this subject and perhaps you have others we could discuss in the comments after this is published.

The first questions is why?  There is more than a simple answer to this but it all revolves around hormones and hormone controls. Basically, if you don’t sleep enough you release stress hormones, adrenalin and cortisol.  These cause insulin to elevate through their effect on blood sugar and the side-effect of this is weight gain or at best no weight loss.  If you want to lose weight, you have to get enough sleep.

Reinhard Engels of EverydaySystems.com says that habits are what we need to concentrate on.  It is the actions that take us to the goal, not the result of the actions that we want to concentrate on.  Unconscious actions are habits. Success, then, has been defined by some one as a habit.  Consistently taking action that yields the desired result is success. If we internalize those actions into unconscious activity then we have a habit. Establish the habit of getting sufficient sleep.

The second question is, How much?  How much is enough?  The answer is - your body will tell you.  With insufficient sleep your brain does not work well. You can’t tell if you are hungry, thirsty or tired. You don’t store memories the same way and you are in a constant state of physical stress.  When your metabolism is acting like you are in danger and all you are is sleepy, you need to get the required rest.

Take a vacation from all evening activities for one week. Got to bed every night 9 hours before you need to awaken. Allow your body to sleep as much as it wants. In about 5-7 days it will awaken after a consistent number of hours sleep.  Usually between 7-9 hours.

Leave me a comment about this or sign up to listen in when I discuss sleep and your health on Ask an Expert Anything on a Wednesday night at 830PM EST very soon.

For more information look at this study: University of Warwick (2006, July 13). Sleep Deprivation Doubles Risks Of Obesity In Both Children And Adults. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 30, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2006/07/060713081140.htm

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