How long sleep can help you lose weight

Typically, in winter, people want to sleep longer because our body naturally reacts to changes in the length of daylight. The hormone melatonin, which is released in the hypothalamus, controls the sleep-wake cycle, daily changes in activity and body temperature, and is produced in greater quantities in the dark.

Prolonged sleep can help reduce stress levels and improve overall well-being. Additionally, medical research shows that melatonin exhibits a variety of bioactivities such as antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory properties, improved immunity, anti-cancer activity, cardiovascular protection, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, neuroprotective, reproductive and anti-aging activity. This is why sleep is so beneficial in restoring the body.

A high level of melatonin promotes weight loss in the following ways:

Regulates appetite: Melatonin reduces the desire to eat, which can help reduce the number of calories consumed and burn fat.

Increases metabolism: Melatonin can increase the rate of metabolism, which can help with fat loss and weight loss.

Increases physical activity: Melatonin can increase energy and motivation, which can help in more effective physical exercise.

Research indicates that low level of melatonin and chronic sleep deprivation are associated with excessive body weight and obesity. If you are sleep deprived, less melatonin is produced and this leads to the consumption of more calories. This is because melatonin deficiency leads to a decrease in energy synthesis and a slowing of metabolic processes. The body tries to compensate for the energy deficit by trying to get energy from food. This creates a vicious cycle, which can only be broken only by regulating sleep.

However, sleep by itself does not guarantee weight loss. To lose weight, it is necessary to maintain a calorie deficit and perform regular physical exercises. An additional sleep can help reduce the desire to eat and increase energy levels, making daily physical loads more effective. It is important that sleep time is consistent and that the sleeping environment is conducive to good sleep quality.

Changes in lifestyle, such as increasing wakefulness, the use of artificial light, television, computer monitors, smartphone screens, and other means of mass information, disrupt circadian rhythms. One of the consequences is disruption of melatonin secretion patterns, which contributes to obesity and even the development of type 2 diabetes.

If you stick to a sleep and wakefulness schedule in accordance with natural bio rhythms, nature itself will help you be healthier.