More sleep and quality sleep helps shed the pounds

Poor sleep duration and quality can pack on the pounds. It is well documented in research and medical literature that sleep helps reduce weight gain. Sleep is essential for efficient and properly functioning metabolism. In fact, a short sleep duration that is less than 6 hours is associated with obesity.

Sleep appears to that both too much and too little sleep will cause obesity. The studies have shown that both qualities of sleep and duration are essential to maintaining a healthy weight. Longer sleep duration and better sleep quality appear to be protective against obesity. The problem is that there is such a thing as too much sleep and the sweet spot is between 6-8 hours.

Some patients feel the urge to take medications to sleep. The use of medications may seem to help but they do not help keep the weight off and definitely do not improve your health. I strongly recommend against using any substances to help you sleep.

The bottom line: Proper sleep is essential for weight loss. I suggest that you shoot for 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Quality is just as important as length and you should wake well-rested. If the quality is unrestful during that period, you may have a sleep disorder.