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Having a hard time falling asleep on some or most nights? It could be affecting your weight. But new research suggests that eating more protein while reducing your calories can improve sleep while helping you achieve greater fat loss (1).
How well people sleep each night has recently been a target of research because it's thought to be an indicator of whether or not they are successful in losing weight. Now new research from scientists at Purdue University suggests that getting more protein each day while reducing calories may be key to sound sleep and greater fat burning.
Previous research had already established that higher protein intake leads to preserving lean body mass in those looking to shed extra weight (2). Quality of sleep had also been a determining factor in fat-loss success (3). However, past research on diet had not yet looked at the relationship between the two for improving diet, weight management, and overall health (4-6).
The researchers found consistently better global sleep scores for subjects eating higher protein from both studies. In the first study, the high-protein group had improved global sleep scores, while in the second study, the global sleep improved only in the high-protein group and not the normal-protein group.
The combined results of both studies suggest that higher protein intake improves sleep during normal calorie consumption and when reducing calorie intake for weight loss.
How Sleep Works to Help You Lose Weight
The findings of better sleep helping support weight loss is unsurprising, judging from the increasing evidence from laboratory and epidemiologic studies indicating that insufficient sleep is actually a risk factor for obesity (6, 7). Among the reasons is that reduced amount or quality of sleep is thought to stimulate hunger and can lead to eating too much or having more frequent occasions to eat (6).
Authors of another newly published study point to the involvement of reward mechanisms in the brain for overeating during periods of reduced sleep (7). Activation of the endocannabinoid (or eCB) system is a key component of the overeating pathways involved in appetite and food intake.
The new research on the brain's appetite system is quite complicated, but the message is clear to anyone who is trying to lose weight: Make quality sleep a priority.
Eat higher amounts of protein to not only help preserve lean body mass when trying to reduce body fat, but also to aid in supporting better sleep. Strive for a normal sleep pattern where you are averaging seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and finally, be consistent over time for long-term weight management.
Along with making sure you are getting plenty of protein you can also add the Isagenix Sleep Support to your night time routine. This easy to use spray is used right as you climb into bed and will help you get a good nights sleep.
If you have any questions we will be happy to help.
References
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Zhou J, Kim JE, Armstrong CL, Chen N & Campbell WW. Higher-protein diets improve indexes of sleep in energy-restricted overweight and obese adults: results from 2 randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Feb 10. pii: ajcn124669. [Epub ahead of print]
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Leidy HJ, Carnell NS, Mattes RD & Campbell WW. Higher protein intake preserves lean mass and satiety with weight loss in pre-obese and obese women. Obesity. 2007 Feb; 15(2):421-9.
- Thomson CA, Morrow KL, Flatt SW, Wertheim BC, Perfect MM, Ravia JJ, Sherwood NE, Karanja N & Rock CL. Relationship between sleep quality and quantity and weight loss in women participating in a weight-loss intervention trial. Obesity. 2012 Jul; 20(7):1419-25.
- Brunner EJ, Wunsch H & Marmot MG. What is an optimal diet? Relationship of macronutrient intake to obesity, glucose tolerance, lipoprotein cholesterol levels and the metabolic syndrome in the Whitehall II study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Jan; 25(1):45-53.
- Cecchini M, Sassi F, Lauer JA, Lee YY, Guajardo-Barron V & Chisholm D. Tackling of unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and obesity: health effects and cost-effectiveness. Lancet. 2010 Nov 20; 376(9754):1775-84.
- Filiatrault ML, Chaput JP, Drapeau V & Tremblay A. Eating behavior traits and sleep as determinants of weight loss in overweight and obese adults. Nutr Diabetes. 2014 Oct 20; 4:e140.
- Hanlon EC, Tasali E, Leproult R, Stuhr KL, Doncheck E, de Wit H, Hillard CJ & Van Cauter E. Sleep Restriction Enhances the Daily Rhythm of Circulating Levels of Endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Sleep. 2015 Nov 19. pii: sp-00259-15. [Epub ahead of print]
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