Why You Have to Sleep to Lose Weight

 I recently went through a good month of 5-6 hours of sleep a night.  Besides coming to feel like each day was groundhog day - which is what actually queued me into noticing I had been going to bed too late - my weight was oddly up.  Sleep corrected, I settled back into my normal range.
 
This brings me to the importance of sleep in regulating fat metabolism vs. fat storage. 
 
Sleep supports fat loss and enhances muscle growth.
During deep sleep, the body releases growth hormone which helps burn fat and preserve lean muscle mass.  Lack of sleep often leads to muscle breakdown and less fat loss, as the body becomes less efficient at metabolizing stored fat.
 
Lack of adequate sleep reduces insulin sensitivity which increases metabolic bias to fat storage
Sleep deprivation increases cortisol, the stress hormone that promotes fat storage—especially visceral fat (belly fat).
Lack of sleep can lower your resting metabolic rate (RMR) -meaning you burn fewer calories at rest.
In these ways, sleep deprivation over several days a week promotes fat storage, makes your workouts less effective, and creates more friction in your efforts to lose weight.
 
Do your best to consistently get 7-8 hours.   Consider it part of your weight loss and metabolic health program.  It is, after all, one of the easiest, most pleasurable ways to up your weight loss and overall wellness.