12/04/2021
My weight loss patient, Ms. S shared a big moment in her journey toward success in my program. This issue is not often talked about in typical weight loss conversations, but is important to the short and long-term success of weight management. Ms. S said:
"I had problems sleeping so I was taking Ambien 3-4 times/week. Dr. Poe's teachings on how to create a sleep schedule made a big impact. [Improved sleep] took a load off my shoulders."
My clients come to me "stuck" because of patterns they may not realize are hindering their progress. We dig deep to identify and overcome the negative patterns. Here are 3 examples of how important the role of sleep is in maintaining healthy weight:
1. Stress raises cortisol levels, which elevates blood sugar, which causes the body to store fat/keep/gain weight. Healthy sleep relieves stress, helping to prevent this negative process. Sleep also replenishes coping skills for stress, lessening the tendency to use food as a tool.
2. Healthy sleep patterns lend to extra time in the morning/evening + the energy and motivation to exercise. Exercise leads to more energy, weight loss and healthy blood sugar levels.
3. When there is insufficient sleep, the body produces more of the hormone ghrelin and less of the hormone leptin. Grehlin stimulates appetite. Leptin sends a signal to your brain when you're full. So, when you don't get enough sleep, you feel hungrier and have less awareness of feeling full.
