Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds.
—JoJo Jensen, Dirt Farmer Wisdom, 2002
We need sleep to maintain the proper balance in our lives. Sleep deprivation is a big trigger for overeating. Lack of sleep fuels feelings of hunger and cravings for sweet and fatty foods. Not having enough sleep also makes it harder to control our impulses, causing us to act like impulsive, hungry two year olds. Too much sugar and fat overloads the dopamine reward center in the brain causing cravings for these substances to spiral out of control. These foods can also leave us feeling tired and mentally foggy, yet we reach for more, keeping ourselves stuck in a vicious cycle.
Lack of sleep adversely affects our glucose tolerance and is linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. There is a mirror image of the number of people who are obese and the number of people who report disrupted sleep. Sleep regulation is crucial for appetite regulation. In order to lose weight, we’ve got to get plenty of sleep. Leptin, the hormone responsible for appetite suppression and feelings of satiety, is dramatically reduced by lack of sleep. When sleep deprived, leptin sends the body signals that it’s in a state of famine, even when food is plentiful. This means that when we’re chronically sleep deprived, our bodies are going to hang on to weight, and our ghrelin (appetite stimulant hormone) dramatically increases, which spins our appetites out of control, leaving us chronically hungry. All this makes any intentions we have about eating less pretty much a pipe dream.
Sleep is the foundation of health and all self-care. If we’re not getting enough sleep, it may be time to cut back on some activities. Many people stay up late on the computer or watching TV. Set a regular bedtime and stick with it. If we find ourselves getting up in the middle of the night or have trouble going to sleep, we may need to see our doctor about medications we can take or research alternative health treatments. Cutting back on our caffeine consumption during the day or at least limiting it to the mornings can help. Engaging in regular exercise also helps to regulate sleep. We can also spend time winding down before bedtime by listening to relaxing music or a guided meditation cd, or reading.
If we want to lose weight and manage our overall health, developing better sleep habits is the place to start. It turns out, to be successful, we must snooze to lose. If you’re hungry all the time, and/or suffer from out of control cravings, getting more z’s may be just the ticket to a slimmer and more restful life.
Today, I look at my sleep habits. Am I getting enough? What can I cut back on to get more sleep?
Sleeping well is the start of living well.
Feast for the Eyes – Fall Berries – Photo by Catherine L. Taylor
- Sleep is the best meditation.
- Man should forget his anger before he lies down to sleep.
- I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know?
- A well-spent day brings happy sleep.
—Leonardo da Vinci
- Each day is a little life: every waking and rising a little birth, every fresh morning a little youth, every going to rest and sleep a little death.
I sleep soundly and peacefully.I live fully each day so that I may slumber peacefully at night.
I surrender myself to a deep and restful sleep.
I take time to relax in the evenings.
I make sleep a priority.
A rested mind makes a slimmer body.
Getting enough sleep helps me control my impulses and appetite.
Is emotional eating keeping you from losing weight and living the life you want? Are you ready to get off the diet rollercoaster and master your weight and your life?If so, you may be a candidate for coaching. Coaching can make the difference between success and failure.
I have found that people who struggle with food and emotional eating are released from that prison once they learn the skills of mindful awareness and mindful eating, emotional self-nurturing, developing a spiritual or meditation practice, and learning to set appropriate limits and goals.
This turns off the urge to overeat and engage in other compulsive behaviors. When you feel better, you eat better! I have walked this path myself, and it has led me to peace and freedom.
The goal of my coaching is to create a lighter, balanced, healthier, nourishing and joy-filled life. You will begin to see results in all areas of your life because How You do Food is How You do Life!®
I coach and mentor people in the areas of: permanent weight loss, food addiction, compulsive, emotional overeating, binge eating recovery, creative self expression, spiritual direction, mindfulness, meditation, self care and stress management, self esteem and body image issues.
Note: My work is spiritually focused, not religious, and fits with any belief system you may have, even agnostic. My work assumes that you have all the wisdom and answers you need inside of you.
What you call this place — God, intuition, Higher Power, inner wisdom, or true self — is up to you. I am simply a guide bringing you back to the truths that are already inside of you.
If you want to know more about why and how coaching works click here.
If you’d like a free consultation click here!
I hope you have enjoyed my newsletter. Drop me a line and let me know how you are doing. I love to hear what’s working for you and read about your success stories.Many Blessings,
Catherine L. Taylor
How You do Food is How You do Life!
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©2013 Catherine L. Taylor. All rights reserved. No portion of this newsletter may be reprinted in any form without express permission from the author.
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