Your diet is on point. Your workout plan is on point. Yet, you aren’t losing weight? Either your diet and workout plan isn’t as good as you believe, or it’s sleep and stress.
Sleep
Why the hell does this matter?
One of the key drivers of muscle growth is the human growth hormone. The human growth hormone, also known as somatotrophin, is a hormone that stimulates cell regeneration, cell reproduction, and growth.
In short, if you don't sleep well enough, you lose out on a good chunk of your possible gains because of a lack of somatotrophins.
Regarding fat loss, sleep is something that is extremely underrated.
Countless studies have proven that hormonal disturbances and an increase in appetite can occur because of a lack of sleep.
In a 2019 study by Wang et al., researchers divided a group of participants into a group that slept 1 hour less on weekdays, with a catch-up of one hour more on weekends and a control group.
The researchers put both groups in a strict deficit, and the results were shocking to say the least.
Both groups lost the same amount of weight, but the unbelievable thing was the proportion of muscle and fat lost.
While the control group lost 83% of their weight in body fat, the results were shocking for the sleep-deprived group.
Rather than losing 83% fat, they actually lost 85% of their weight in muscle!
Granted, these subjects weren’t resistance-trained and resistance training may have mitigated some difference, but this study was nonetheless an eye-opener
This carries over a world of importance to the goal of fat loss because of the effect this has on lean body mass.
A lack of sleep will without doubt hinder your fat loss while increasing your muscle mass to a large extent.
Furthermore, a link between sleep and hunger has been noticed across the scientific literature. Multiple studies have found that sleep deprivation affects the production of the two main hunger hormones.
Ghrelin is the hormone responsible for stimulating appetite and promoting fat storage.
Leptin is the hormone responsible for controlling the appetite.
So while ghrelin isn’t preferable from a weight-loss perspective, more leptin will be beneficial to your goals.
However, with a lack of sleep, Ghrelin is increased in your body, and Leptin is decreased. This results in increased hunger, which makes it difficult to stick to your goals.
Additionally, a lack of sleep can be linked to a feeling of tiredness which can reduce your daily activity and finally your energy output.
All these club together to affect your weight loss considerably.
How much of this holy substance should I be getting?
Aim for at least 7–8 hours a night, although if your body demands more, it’s ok to sleep up to 9 hours.
Try keeping your sleep patterns similar to keeping your circadian rhythm steady.
Additionally, a lack of sleep can be linked to a feeling of tiredness which can reduce your daily activity and can also result in a lower mental awareness.
A reduction in awareness can also occur, which may lead to a lack of focus and an increased risk for accidents.
Furthermore, a lack of sleep can lead to an increased risk of multiple different illnesses.
Is this really worth it for you?
Stress
Stress is another aspect of your body that will without a doubt affect your weight loss goals. Stress releases a catabolic hormone known as cortisol which can impede fat loss and increase the rate of lean mass loss.
Additionally, cortisol is an appetite simulator and has been shown to increase the deposition of fat in the abdominal area.
Furthermore, psychological aspects can also affect weight loss. Typically, if the subject is stressed, stress eating occurs, and it is often incredibly difficult to control.
On top of this, stress can make you drink more alcohol, have poor food choices, and make you sleep less which all ties into a difficulty in controlling weight.
How can I fix these? For a start, relieve stress by attempting meditation and simple breathing exercises. I recommend an app called stoic which assists in stress management.
If you have trouble fitting enough sleep into your jam-packed schedule, you can try reducing the time you take to fall asleep through the use of sleep music.
Setting a proper strict bedtime can ensure you don’t work late nights disrupting your circadian rhythm.
Don’t drink caffeine for at least 7 hours before you sleep.
Try minimizing the use of devices before bed and ensure you get a sufficient amount of exercise throughout the day.
Implement some of these in your daily life and I guarantee you will feel better and get more sleep.
Keeping these things in mind, you can eliminate these dark horses and keep your weight loss journey on track.
- Wang, Xuewen et al. “Influence of sleep restriction on weight loss outcomes associated with caloric restriction.” Sleep vol. 41,5 (2018): 10.1093/sleep/zsy027. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsy027
- Leproult, Rachel. “Effect of 1 Week of Sleep Restriction on Testosterone Levels in Young Healthy Men.” JAMA, vol. 305, no. 21, 1 June 2011, p. 2173, jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1029127, 10.1001/jama.2011.710. Accessed 20 May 2020.
- Cappuccio, Francesco P., et al. “Sleep Duration Predicts Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.” European Heart Journal, vol. 32, no. 12, 7 Feb. 2011, pp. 1484–1492, academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/32/12/1484/502022, 10.1093/eurheartj/ehr007. Accessed 20 May 2020.
- Shan, Zhilei, et al. “Sleep Duration and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.” Diabetes Care, vol. 38, no. 3, 24 Feb. 2015, pp. 529–537, care.diabetesjournals.org/content/38/3/529, 10.2337/dc14–2073. Accessed 20 May 2020.
- “Sleep, Learning, and Memory | Healthy Sleep.” Harvard.Edu, 2020, healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory. Accessed 20 May 2020.
- F. Del Gallo, et al. “The Reciprocal Link between Sleep and Immune Responses.” Archives Italiennes de Biologie, vol. 152, no. 2/3, 2017, pp. 93–102, web.archive.org/web/20180401023141/www.architalbiol.org/aib/article/view/15293, 10.4449/aib.v152i2/3.3672. Accessed 20 May 2020.
- Wang, Xuewen, et al. “Influence of Sleep Restriction on Weight Loss Outcomes Associated with Caloric Restriction.” Sleep, vol. 41, no. 5, 9 Feb. 2018, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29438540/, 10.1093/sleep/zsy027. Accessed 20 May 2020.
