How to boost weight loss while you sleep
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To lose weight you have to sleep well. Getting quality sleep promotes weight loss. We give you some tips to lose weight sleeping thanks to sleep dietetics. How to lose weight while you sleep? What diet to adopt to sleep well?
Screens, stress, anxiety... reduce the quantity and quality of sleep to the detriment of form, of course, but also of line. Good sleep is indeed essential for weight balance. Thanks to the advice of our specialists, find serene nights and get rid of your extra kilos, while you sleep!
Why is it important to sleep well to lose weight?
Morale, tone, health, beauty, immunity: sleeping well is essential in many ways. Surprisingly, the quality of sleep also contributes to weight balance. "Many studies indicate a correlation between weight gain and lack of sleep," says Marie-Pierre St-Onge, nutrition researcher. People who sleep less than 7 hours a night tend to gain more weight than others."
In late 1999, an experimental study compared two groups of people, one sleeping 4 hours a night, the other 8 hours, strictly on the same diet. After 15 days, an increase in weight and fat mass was observed in those whose nights were shortened. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this phenomenon: "Leptin is secreted during sleep, a hormone that satisfies and helps metabolize sugars better," says Dr. Joelle Adrien, a neurobiologist.
"When we don't get enough sleep, we have a bigger appetite and are more drawn to fatty and sweet foods," adds Dr. Joelle Adrien. Lack of sleep also leads to behavioral changes: "When you sleep less, you have more time to eat and especially to snack," says Valentina Andreeva, a researcher in nutritional epidemiology. We also feel tired the next day, so we move less. In the end, energy intake increases, spending decreases and there is a greater tendency to store. "The problem is that being overweight also favors long-term sleep disorders," adds the researcher. A vicious circle!
To find the line, it is better not to neglect sleep and ensure sufficiently long and restful nights. Good news: the dietary measures that are good for your figure are also the ones that help you sleep better.
The Benefit of Sleeping More on Calorie Intake
According to a study published in February 2022 in JAMA Internal Medicine, overweight young adults who typically slept less than 6.5 hours a night were able to get more sleep with personalized sleep hygiene advice. By increasing the time they spent in bed, the participants also reduced their total calorie intake by about 270 kcal per day.
What are the principles of sleep dietetics?
The timing and composition of meals can go a long way in restoring sleep quality. And good news, what's good for sleep is also good for the line!
Maintain a fixed meal schedule for a good night's sleep.
Meals help to synchronize the body. "To help you fall asleep, it's best to be done with dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime," recommends Dr. Adrien. This allows you not to start the night in full digestion. And she gets a significant overnight fasting window, which would help with weight loss.
Therefore, the ideal is breakfast when you wake up, lunch around 12-13 hours and then dinner around 19-20 hours.
Adopt a Mediterranean diet to avoid insomnia
"Several studies have shown that people who follow this type of diet have a lower risk of insomnia and sleep disorders," says Marie-Pierre St-Onge.
This diet based on several plants (fruits and vegetables, seeds, cereals, etc.), poultry, fish and fermented dairy products could increase the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin, favorable for quality sleep.
Eat eggs for breakfast for better balance
A good sleep is ready as soon as you wake up. Secreted in particular in the first part of the day, dopamine promotes awakening, motivation and the beginning of the morning. "It is made in part by the body from an amino acid, tyrosine, which makes up proteins found primarily in animal products," says Anthony Berthou, a dietitian and nutritionist.
To have energy in the morning and synchronize the biological clock, the ideal is to opt for a high-protein breakfast with 15 to 20 g of protein, in the form of eggs, cheese or ham and, in addition, oilseeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds).
It is also necessary to limit foods with carbohydrates, especially sweet products (pastries, white bread, jam, refined cereals, etc.) that favor the secretion of insulin that can alter the metabolism of dopamine.
The advantage of such a morning menu is that it also offers good satiety and better regulation of weight balance.
Promote a dissociated diet to replenish energy
In the breaks of the day, to continue stimulating alertness and activity, the goal is once again to give pride of place to foods rich in animal protein and limit those rich in carbohydrates. "The ideal is to consume a portion (about 120 g) of meat or fish with a good amount of vegetables and 1 to 2 tablespoons of first cold-pressed vegetable oil of olive, canola or walnut", advises Anthony Berthou.
You can finish the meal with a fermented milk product, as tolerated, or 1 or 2 bars of dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa or a handful of nuts. In this way, you gain energy without suffering from postprandial sleepiness.
Chocolate and nuts as a snack to start falling asleep
Around 4-5 pm, we move on to the end of the day: it is the ideal time to consume quality carbohydrates (dark chocolate, fresh fruit, etc.) associated with oilseeds rich in magnesium and containing an amino acid, tryptophan. serotonin precursor.
Why combine them?
"The moderate secretion of insulin caused by the consumption of carbohydrates allows a better assimilation of tryptophan compared to other amino acids, indicates the nutritionist. Thus, it promotes the production of serotonin, also a precursor of melatonin, acting in the afternoon and at the beginning at night to help soothe and initiate sleep."
Eat eggs for breakfast for better balance
A good sleep is ready as soon as you wake up. Secreted in particular in the first part of the day, dopamine promotes awakening, motivation and the beginning of the morning. "It is made in part by the body from an amino acid, tyrosine, which makes up proteins found primarily in animal products," says Anthony Berthou, a dietitian and nutritionist.
To have energy in the morning and synchronize the biological clock, the ideal is to opt for a high-protein breakfast with 15 to 20 g of protein, in the form of eggs, cheese or ham and, in addition, oilseeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds).
It is also necessary to limit foods with carbohydrates, especially sweet products (pastries, white bread, jam, refined cereals, etc.) that favor the secretion of insulin that can alter the metabolism of dopamine.
The advantage of such a morning menu is that it also offers good satiety and better regulation of weight balance.
Promote a dissociated diet to replenish energy
In the breaks of the day, to continue stimulating alertness and activity, the goal is once again to give pride of place to foods rich in animal protein and limit those rich in carbohydrates. "The ideal is to consume a portion (about 120 g) of meat or fish with a good amount of vegetables and 1 to 2 tablespoons of first cold-pressed vegetable oil of olive, canola or walnut", advises Anthony Berthou.
You can finish the meal with a fermented milk product, as tolerated, or 1 or 2 bars of dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa or a handful of nuts. In this way, you gain energy without suffering from postprandial sleepiness.
Chocolate and nuts as a snack to start falling asleep
Around 4-5 pm, we move on to the end of the day: it is the ideal time to consume quality carbohydrates (dark chocolate, fresh fruit, etc.) associated with oilseeds rich in magnesium and containing an amino acid, tryptophan. serotonin precursor.
Why combine them?
"The moderate secretion of insulin caused by the consumption of carbohydrates allows a better assimilation of tryptophan compared to other amino acids, indicates the nutritionist. Thus, it promotes the production of serotonin, also a precursor of melatonin, acting in the afternoon and at the beginning at night to help soothe and initiate sleep."
Vegetarian dinner for better digestion
According to the same mechanism of competition for the assimilation of tryptophan with other amino acids, a meal consisting of whole grains and/or legumes with vegetables and quality oil, then a fruit enhances the secretion of serotonin and melatonin. “By sustainably stabilizing blood sugar, consuming slow-digesting carbohydrates at night prevents feeling hungry during the night, which may be responsible for nighttime awakenings or restless sleep,” says Dr. Joelle Adrien.
On the other hand, it is better to avoid foods rich in animal protein (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) which, although rich in tryptophan for some, contain other amino acids that tend to disturb sleep by increasing digestion time and body temperature. "We also avoid everything that is heavy to digest: fried foods, cooked fats, sauce dishes," adds Anthony Berthou.
Limit coffee consumption to sleep better
In quantity and time! Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that impacts the sleep/wake cycle: it increases sleep latency, decreases total sleep duration, and increases light sleep phases to the detriment of deep sleep, with more frequent awakenings. In general, it is best not to exceed 3-4 cups a day and to avoid drinking it after 3 pm, and to take into account your personal sensitivity because its arousal effect varies considerably from one person to another (essentially for genetic reasons): "There are slow metabolizers and fast metabolizers, specifies Joelle Adrien. Depending on the person, it can take from 2 to 10 hours for the body to eliminate only half!"
Be aware of your digestive sensitivity
Difficult digestion, a bloated stomach, or acid reflux can also disrupt sleep. Thus, at dinner, it is important to favor this or that food according to its tolerance and adapt the way of cooking (soak and boil legumes, cook fruits and vegetables).
Stay hydrated for a better night's sleep
It is not about drinking a liter of herbal tea before going to bed, at the risk of getting up several times during the night to go to the bathroom. "It's best to spread drinks in moderation throughout the day, even at dinner," recommends Anthony Berthou. Above all, we avoid alcohol as much as possible, "if it helps to fall asleep at first, then it creates relief from sleep or even insomnia," warns the specialist.
How to maintain a balanced diet when you have staggered hours?
Care should be taken to maintain 3 meals a day at fixed times with a balanced snack adapted to the schedule, avoid fatty and sugary snacks that promote drowsiness, and not exceed 3 to 4 cups of coffee per day.
Morning work (4 am to 12 pm):
A light, low-fat, starchy meal the night before is advised 2 hours before bedtime. A light snack before work (fruit and dairy), even without appetite. It is recommended to have breakfast around 9 am. A complete and balanced lunch at the end of the shift, before the siesta.
Evening work (14:00-22:00):
It is advisable to have your classic breakfast around 9 a.m. A balanced lunch in which animal proteins prevail (meat, fish, eggs, etc.), starchy foods that are slowly assimilated, and vegetables. A snack around 5:00 p.m. (fruit, dairy, oilseeds, etc.). Dinner after work, with starches.
Night work (22:00 to 06:00):
In this case, it is important to have a complete and balanced dinner with animal proteins, starches and vegetables, 1 hour before work. A snack between 1 and 3 in the morning to maintain alertness: animal proteins (ham, chicken, etc.), vegetables and starchy foods. Have a light but sweet breakfast: hot chocolate, toast. A balanced breakfast when you wake up.
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