Sleep determines your body shape and health
Multiple medical studies have confirmed that people who sleep less than 6 hours a night have a significantly increased risk of obesity. The reason is that lack of sleep interferes with several metabolic and hormonal regulatory mechanisms:
Decreased insulin sensitivity, affecting blood sugar control and fat metabolism
Reduced leptin (Leptin) secretion reduces satiety
Increased ghrelin (Ghrelin) concentrations, leading to increased appetite
In the long run, not only will it be easier to absorb excess calories, but it will also promote fat accumulation. On the contrary, if you can maintain adequate and deep sleep, it will help stabilize hormone secretion, suppress appetite, and improve energy regulation capabilities, which is extremely critical for weight control. Poor sleep quality affects more than just physical fatigue. In the short term, it can cause decreased concentration, dulled thinking, and daytime sleepiness; in the long term, it can increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Sleeping can eliminate the fatigue of the day and allow the body to fully rest. Unfortunately, most people often have the mentality of "sleeping is good" when it comes to "sleep". In fact, the effects of "sleeping well" and "sleeping well" are completely different! Really healthy sleep can activate the rejuvenation mechanism, making people feel full of energy and vitality after waking up. On the contrary, poor sleep can make people still feel tired after waking up, not only feeling that they have not slept enough, but also suffering from back pain.
The World Sleep Society proposes three major elements of high-quality sleep:
Sufficient sleep length (7 to 9 hours recommended for adults)
Uninterrupted continuous sleep
deep enough sleep stage
In other words, only through continuous and deep sleep can the body activate physiological mechanisms such as repair, detoxification, hormonal balance, and immune regulation.
The following are practical practices recommended by the World Sleep Association. You may wish to try them to help yourself and your family sleep well!
Set a fixed schedule and stabilize your biological clock: maintain consistent bedtime and wake-up times every day, even on weekends.
Light during the day and avoid light at night: Sunlight during the day helps regulate circadian rhythm, and the sleeping environment should be kept dark at night to reduce interference with melatonin secretion.
Manage diet and stimulant intake: dinner should not be too late, and caffeine, nicotine and alcohol should be avoided six hours before bed to reduce sleep disruption and light sleep.
Exercise regularly but avoid the period before going to bed: 30 minutes of moderate activity a day can improve sleep depth, but it must end 2 to 3 hours before going to bed to avoid increases in body temperature and nerve excitement.
Establish a clear sleep conditioned reflex: the bed is only used for sleeping. Do not use your mobile phone, watch TV shows or read on the bed. Let the brain form the link of "go to bed and fall asleep".
Sleep is not a passive rest, but a critical period for the body to initiate repair, regulate metabolism and maintain endocrine stability. When you sleep enough, deeply and without interruption, not only will your energy level improve, but you will also be able to lose weight without deliberately dieting! From today on, take sleep seriously!
