You know that you should be getting enough sleep so you are not cranky, and so you have the energy to face the day. Did you know that lack of sleep can also cause weight gain?

There are a myriad of reasons that your sleep issues tie directly in to your weight issues. For example, the lack of sleep affects the hormone ratio in your body. These off-kilter hormones then encourage your body to eat more food and to hold on to those calories.

Also, when you don't get enough sleep, you end up tired and cranky. You then tend to crave comfort foods to soothe your feelings. Those foods are the ones that make you bulk up in weight. Being worn down, you also have a 44% decrease in your memory. This makes it harder to keep track of what healthy foods you should be eating - as well as maintaining any will power to stay on a healthy path.

A great starting step in addressing this issue is to start a sleep and food journal. Every day, keep track of the foods you eat and when you eat them. Then record when you went to sleep and how well you slept. The times of day are important to follow. For many people, taking in any caffeine after noon can affect their sleep patterns. It has that long of an effect on the human body. Sugar, salt, and high-spice foods are also known to cause sleep issues.

One thing which can help bring a good night's sleep into your daily routine is exercise. Find a way to get a half hour of walking into your day. Go out for a walk at lunch - either outside if it's nice, or inside at a local mall if the weather is bad. Be creative in finding ways to get motion into your lifestyle. Walk up and down the stairs with some fun music on your MP3 player. Dance in circles around your living room to your favorite tunes. You'll be rewarded with deep, luxurious sleep.

Studies show that just 45 minutes of exercise can create a third deeper sleep. This helps you to be more relaxed, more alert, have a better memory, and lose weight!

So focus on the food and sleep journal, add some exercise into your day, tweak your menu to hold back on the foods you find that impact your sleeping patterns, and enjoy a good night's sleep!


Lisa Shea's Library of Low Carb Books