If your new year's resolution is to lose weight, you're going to need a lot of things in your tool box to help you throughout the year. But there is one simple thing you can do to help you drop your dress size – sleep better. Yes that's right, sleeping can help your body lose weight.
The human body makes a stress hormone called cortisol, and it signals to every cell in the body that we need to store body fat for later. In our very busy and stressful lives, we tend to make quite a lot of cortisol, and sometimes the only time it actually decreases is when we sleep. And we need to sleep deeply and restfully for cortisol levels to drop low. So those who commit to getting eight hours of restorative sleep a night can make a massive difference to their weight loss.
Also, when we are tired we tend to make poor food choices. We often compensate for our tiredness by reaching for the sugar or caffeine to give us an energy lift. For most of us, sleep is the only time our bodies get a break, so it's important to prioritise sleep and you'll reap the benefits in all other aspects of your life, including losing weight.