In order to lose weight, many people have tried various methods: dieting, exercising, or even praying…
But have you ever thought that there is a simple and effective slimming secret, which is to “lose weight while sleeping”!
This method sounds incredible. So, is this really a good thing? How should you sleep to get thinner?
Can you really “lose weight while lying down”?!
Research has found that researchers recruited 80 overweight volunteers to conduct a sleep improvement test. Without any dietary or exercise guidance, it was discovered that the group of overweight people who habitually slept less than 6.5 hours per day reduced their daily total calorie intake by 270 calories after increasing their sleep time by 1.2 hours. This is equivalent to eating one chicken burger less or 3 small bowls of rice. In terms of exercise comparison, women would need to swim for 30 minutes, jog for 40 minutes, or jump rope at a slow pace for 36 minutes to burn the equivalent amount of calories. After 4 weeks, the group that extended their sleep time lost 0.48 kg in weight.
It turns out that sleeping more each day can reduce calorie intake, thereby reducing weight to some extent. This simple way of losing weight, I believe, has already sparked the interest of many people. However, at this point, we want to remind you that the sample data for this study is limited and the experimental period is not long. Therefore, the accuracy of the research conclusion still needs further verification. Let’s not get into blind celebration just yet.
However, this study undoubtedly provides new insights for researchers to explore the relationship between sleep and weight loss, bringing new hope to many “lazy” individuals who want to lose weight. Good sleep is indeed very important for human health. So, based on current research, how should we sleep to lose weight?
How to sleep to slim down?
1. Get enough sleep duration
Sleeping approximately accounts for 1/3 of our lifetime. The “American Sleep Foundation” recommends that adults should sleep 7-9 hours a day, while the “Healthy China Action (2019-2030)” suggests that the average daily sleep time for Chinese adults should ideally be 7-8 hours. Whether it’s 7-9 or 7-8 hours, it’s an average sleep time in statistical terms and varies from person to person.
How to judge this? It’s simple, just waking up the next day feeling awake most of the time, able to maintain sufficient alertness, good attention, and not affecting your current work and life, means you’ve slept well.
2. Have deep sleep
Deep sleep usually accounts for 13%-23% of the entire sleep cycle. When we enter the deep sleep stage, the secretion of leptin in the body will increase accordingly. This hormone has a significant effect on burning fat and promoting weight loss, making it a powerful ally on our weight loss journey. In addition, the secretion of hunger hormones will decrease, naturally reducing our food intake. Conversely, inadequate sleep or decreased sleep quality can lead to overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system, leading to an increase in hunger hormone secretion and a significant increase in appetite, up to 45%.
You can use a sports bracelet or a smartwatch in your daily life to assist in monitoring your deep sleep status. Another simpler way to judge is when you wake up feeling refreshed and alert, it usually means you have had sufficient deep sleep.
3. Maintain regular sleep patterns
Indeed, maintaining relatively fixed sleep times is crucial. You shouldn’t go to bed at 10 pm one night and then stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning the next day, or even stay up all night and catch up on sleep during the day after tomorrow. If you can follow the ancient rhythm of “work at sunrise, rest at sunset,” it will undoubtedly help improve your sleep quality.
However, according to the data from the “China National Residents’ Sleep Health White Paper (2024),” the average bedtime for residents has already been pushed beyond midnight, with generally insufficient nocturnal sleep time and widespread staying up late. Keep in mind, lack of sleep can make you look less attractive and more dull. Therefore, it’s recommended that people work on developing a regular sleep pattern to maintain a healthy sleep state.
Aside from getting good sleep
To lose weight, pay attention to these as well
Indeed, lying down to sleep is definitely a good way to lose weight. However, to achieve better weight loss results, you need to take multiple approaches.
The underlying logic of weight loss is to increase the energy deficit. In simple terms, if you consume less than you burn, you will lose weight. The two main conventional methods: eat less, decrease intake; move more, increase expenditure. But before you start eating less and moving more, you need to tackle a fundamental issue – managing your emotions, to “lose from the heart.”
1. How to “lose from the heart?”
When facing significant stress, low mood, self-deprecation, or feelings of giving up on oneself, we often seek comfort in food, leading to overeating and obesity. High stress levels elevate cortisol levels in the body, not only interfering with the breakdown of fats but also hindering the release of the good hormone “leptin” signals to the brain, affecting the weight loss process. Therefore, effective weight loss starts with managing emotions to clear obstacles on the weight loss journey.
Accept yourself, please yourself, and reconcile with yourself
For weight loss, understand why you are doing it. In reality, being fat or thin is just a choice. If being overweight doesn’t bother you much and doesn’t impact your health, there’s no need to lose weight just for the sake of it. If you do want to slim down a bit, make gradual changes and take it slow. Remember, you are unique and not perfect.
Set short-term weight loss goals and focus on one thing at a time
Setting long and numerous goals, especially coupled with external work pressures and life responsibilities, tends to accumulate stress and worries, shaking your confidence, or even making your previous efforts go in vain. By setting short-term small goals that are not too difficult and rewarding yourself upon completion, you can avoid being too anxious.
For example, if you abstain from sugary drinks for three days, reward yourself with a piece of dark chocolate; or exercise for 20 minutes and reward yourself with a bouquet of flowers. Gradually increase the difficulty level, focusing on your immediate goals to avoid excessive anxiety.
Proactively relieve emotions
Life is full of challenges. Doing household chores like laundry, mopping floors, or organizing wardrobes can be a way to relieve stress; or trying relaxation exercises like meditation, yoga, mindfulness that not only relieve stress but also aid in weight loss; or just talking to family and friends, venting out your feelings is helpful too.
2. How to eat less?
Eat slowly and stop when you’re 70-80% full
Studies show that slowing down your eating pace can lower BMI or reduce the risk of weight gain. For instance, reducing the volume of each food bite, increasing the number of chewing times, pausing before meals, etc.
Follow a rational eating sequence
Eat the large-volume foods first and the small-volume foods later; start with liquid foods before solid foods; consume low-calorie foods first before high-calorie ones. For instance, vegetables and fruits are large in volume and low in calories, so have them first; soups provide strong satiety, so have them before a meal; meats are high in calories, so have them towards the end. This adjustment in eating sequence can provide a stronger sense of fullness.
Increase the intake of foods rich in dietary fiber
Dietary fiber increases satiety and reduces gastric emptying speed. For example, replace 1/3-1/2 of white rice, noodles, or white steamed buns with corn, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, coarse grain rice (brown rice, green bean rice), whole wheat bread, or pure oats; opt for more green leafy vegetables (such as rapeseed, spinach, sorrel, amaranth, etc.) and low-sugar fruits (such as cherries, grapes, mulberries, apricots, mangoes, strawberries, etc.).
Reasonably increase protein intake
High-protein foods create a stronger sense of fullness compared to high-carb or high-fat foods, suppressing appetite. Protein-rich foods include fish, poultry, eggs, lean meat, etc. Women focusing on weight loss should pay special attention to supplementing calcium and iron, as improper weight loss methods can lead to the loss of these essential nutrients. Calcium-rich foods include dairy products and soy products, while iron-rich foods include animal liver, animal blood, lean meat, etc.
3. How to move more?
Diet is the soul of weight loss, and exercise is its best companion; adequate exercise not only burns energy but also uplifts mood.
Consider household chores as exercise routines, such as cooking, washing dishes, sweeping floors, organizing clothes, among others; during daily commute, switch from a slow to brisk walk – remember, brisk walking is the most effective exercise for weight loss success; use stairs instead of escalators to promote physical activity.
Ultimately, “lose while you sleep” is truly a boon for the lazy folks. However, weight loss isn’t a one-time fix; it’s about developing a healthy lifestyle based on daily routines to ultimately adopt a healthy lifestyle.
The core of weight loss is not just about being healthier, more confident, and happier, but to refrain from adding more worries. Whether it’s through adjustments in diet, exercise, sleep, or mindset, it’s all about enhancing overall health.
(Source: Science China)
