Stay Fit Mom explains the affects of sleep on fat loss.

Sleep and Fat Loss

In addition to nutrition, one of the most impactful things you can do for your fat loss journey is prioritize your sleep. It seems so simple, and yet often instead of focusing on the one thing that’s FREE, available, and necessary for overall health and wellness, we push it aside while prioritizing supplements or an exercise program.

Here’s a few facts from WebMD about the importance of sleep that we hope will convince you.

Sleep deprivation dulls brain activity in the frontal lobe which is the locus for impulse control. It leads to food cravings and prompts people to eat bigger portions.
Sleep resets cortisol levels which heavily impact your metabolism. When your cortisol levels are constantly spiking (stress without ample rest), your hormones signal to your body to conserve energy (aka hold onto fat).
Sleep deprivation also effects your body’s ability to process insulin, a hormone used to convert sugar to energy.

Experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep DAILY. We know that the words “sleep” and “mother” can feel like oxymorons, especially if you have a child under 2, but today we want to encourage you to think about ways you can increase the amount of sleep you’re getting. The smallest efforts will add up overtime!

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Tips for increasing quantity and quality of sleep.

Eliminate screen time one hour before bed.
Go to bed when your kids do. We know the temptation to stay up and capitalize on your alone time is great, but you’ll do your body so much good if you hit the sack instead!
Create a bedtime routine that could include stretching, a bath, prayer and/or reading a book.
Be as consistent as possible about sleep and wake times (even on the weekends)!
Grab some black out curtains to keep the room dark. Darkness cues your body to release the sleep hormone, melatonin.
Purchase a weighted blanket.

I reached out to Baloo Living when I first heard from a friend how much their sleep quality improved since purchasing their weighted blanket. My friend boasted about falling asleep quicker, staying asleep, having deeper sleep, and even experienced more vivid dreams.

I started doing a little research on my own and in addition to what I had heard about improved sleep, I also loved what I found regarding the reduction of stress and anxiety.

I’ve had my own Baloo Weighted Blanket for a few weeks now and I look forward to settling into my bed every night! My kids like snuggling up with me under the covers too. Baloo sent me the king fit, cool cotton. It weighs 25lbs. Not only does it look beautiful, but I love that the microbeads don’t shift or bunch because of the double quilted stitching. It can be used in all seasons because it’s made with premium breathable cotton. I definitely have to use my muscles when making my bed now though. Totally WORTH IT.

Bottom line. We want you to recognize the vital role sleep plays on your fat loss journey.

Click HERE to listen to Krista and Tracy discuss sleep and recovery on their YouTube Channel.

Don’t dismiss the most underutilized resource you have readily available to you. Prioritize your sleep and watch as not only your waist line gets smaller but your overall quality of life improves.

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