How Sleep Affects Belly Fat in Sri Lankan Women

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Most people are aware that eating and exercise impact weight. There’s a third factor that is important , and most people don’t care about it at all. The one thing that is a factor is sleep. Even diet and exercise can help you lose excess belly fat. If you’re having trouble losing weight, you might want to take a look at your sleep routine. This is particularly the case of the women of Sri Lanka, who typically have to manage several responsibilities at home and in the workplace and therefore have little time to get adequate rest.

What Happens in Your Body When You Don’t Sleep Enough

Not sleeping 7 hours or more a night puts your body in what amounts to a survival mode. Raises cortisol levels (your main stress hormone). Cortisol tells your body to build up fat and it targets this fat in your abdomen. This type is known as visceral fat and is the most harmful type of fat, as it surrounds the internal organs. Too much of the fat around the abdomen increases the risk of:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Hormonal imbalances
• Chronic inflammation 

Meanwhile, sub-optimal sleep affects two other important hormones. The hunger hormone, ghrelin, rises. The fullness hormone, leptin, decreases. People feel hungry more often and don’t feel satisfied even after eating a normal meal. Research indicates that those who get only six hours of sleep a night will eat up to 300-400 more calories the next day without knowing it.

This is a larger issue for women, for several reasons:

Sleep Loss has a greater effect on weight gain in women than in men. The hormonal changes that happen during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause all impact sleep and metabolism. An additional cultural hurdle that women encounter in Sri Lanka is the division of labor. The division of labor is the other cultural burden in Sri Lanka. They are the last ones to get up in the house, first to get up in the morning for breakfast, last to go to sleep at night after the children and first to wake up at night for the elderly. In the long run, even a woman who eats well and exercises regularly can obtain belly fat from sleepless nights over the course of months and years.

What is the amount of sleep you need?

Most adult women require 7-9 hours of good sleep per night. Good quality is just as important as high quantity. When your body:

• Repairs muscle tissue and cells.
• Adjusts cortisol, ghrelin and leptin
• Handles and releases the stress of the day
• Burns off fat more efficiently 

Even if you get 8 hours of sleep, but not a solid 8 hours, you can’t get your hormones in balance.

Sleeping Tips for Health:

Here are some changes you can make beginning tonight:

• Sleep at the same time each day, including weekends and get up at the same time (this helps your internal clock to get into a regular schedule)
• Don’t have big dinners after 8 PM – after a big dinner of rice and curry, your digestive system remains busy and you can’t get a good night’s sleep.
• Take a warm cup of kaha kiri (turmeric milk) 30 mins before going to sleep; kaha kiri lowers inflammation and warm milk contains the amino acid tryptophan, which helps induce sleep.
• Switch off all screens, phones, tablets, and TVs for at least an hour before turning in bed, as blue light can prevent melatonin production.
• Try to keep your room as cool and dark as possible – use a fan or open a window, and a lower body temperature will help you fall into a deeper sleep.
• If your baby or family member disturbs your sleep at night, aim to get some sleep during the day when they are sleeping.

What changes can you see?

To shed belly fat, it’s not the case that sleeping all night makes a difference. However, after 2-4 weeks of good sleep,p most women report:

• A significant reduction in sweet and high-carbohydrate cravings.
• Improved energy balance during the day
• Better mood and decreased anxiety
• A steady decrease in belly size over time (months)

Sleep is not a luxury or something to feel guilty about. Getting a good amount of sleep is as crucial as a proper diet and exercise for any woman seeking to stay healthy and maintain their weight. Don’t put it off until later; make it a priority.