Brilio.net - Being overweight is a problem for many people. This is generally caused by unhealthy eating patterns and lack of daily physical activity. Busyness in the office and addiction to gadgets that make people move back and forth are also things that can trigger someone to experience obesity or other weight problems.
Losing weight is a challenging process, but there are several simple steps you can take to make the process easier. One effective way is to change your habits before sleeping.
Researchers from the University of Chicago found that lack of sleep can interfere with fat burning by up to 55%. Therefore, it is important to maintain better sleep quality.
According to research published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine and quoted by Women's Health, dieters who slept 8.5 hours per night experienced twice as much fat loss as those who only slept 5.5 hours. This happened even though both groups reduced the same number of calories every day.
This research shows that sufficient sleep duration plays an important role in the process of reducing body fat. People who sleep more soundly and with better quality are more effective at burning fat and maintaining muscle mass, compared to those who sleep less.
In order to get better quality sleep, you need to do several simple habits before going to bed, here are 11 simple habits before going to bed that can actually reduce weight, as reported by brilio.net from various sources, Monday (20/5).
1. Take a warm shower.
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Taking a warm bath before bed can help you relax and improve sleep quality. Good sleep helps regulate hormones that control appetite, such as leptin and ghrelin.
Leptin helps you feel full, while ghrelin increases hunger. When you don't get enough sleep, leptin levels decrease and ghrelin levels increase, which can cause you to eat more and gain weight.
2. Do light yoga.
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Before bed, let go of work-related stress to sleep better. Yoga has been proven to be effective in relaxing the mind and body, thereby helping you sleep better.
A 2009 study showed that yoga can improve sleep quality. Another study also found that yoga helps lose weight.
The benefits of yoga before bed are that it relaxes the mind and body, improves sleep quality, and helps lose weight.
3. Drink a cup of tea.
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According to Eat This Not That, drinking a cup of rooibos tea without caffeine at night can help burn belly fat. This tea is made from the leaves of the Aspalathus linearis shrub which grows in South Africa.
The flavonoid content in rooibos tea, called Aspalathin, is believed to reduce stress hormones that trigger hunger and fat storage. This makes rooibos one of the best drink choices to help burn fat.
4. Write a daily journal regularly.
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Journaling can help you process emotions and reduce stress. The reason is, stress can cause weight gain, so it is important to find ways to manage it.
A study published in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being quoted from Eat This Not That, found that writing in a journal for 15 minutes before bed helped people reduce stress and improve sleep quality.
5. Turn off the lights.
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Sleeping in the dark helps increase the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. So, before going to bed you need to turn off the lights in the bedroom at least one hour before going to bed. A study published in the journal "Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine" found that sleeping in the dark helped people fall asleep faster and improved sleep quality.
6. Set a cool room temperature.
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Cool room temperature helps improve sleep quality. The ideal temperature for sleeping is between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. A study published in the journal "Sleep" from Oxford University found that sleeping in a cool room helped people fall asleep faster and improved sleep quality.
7. Read books.
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Reading a book is a great way to relax and release stress before bed. Reading can also help you fall asleep faster. Launching from Eat This Not That, it was found that reading for 20 minutes before bed helps people fall asleep faster and improves sleep quality.
8. Eat snacks that are high in protein.
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Protein is an important nutrient that plays an important role in maintaining body health and increasing muscle growth. Intake that is rich in protein such as yogurt, besides nuts, chicken eggs, chicken breast, tofu and tempeh.
Consuming foods high in protein helps you feel full longer, so you tend to eat less and control your weight more easily.
9. Sports or light physical exercise.
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Evening exercise is a healthy and effective way to reduce stress, increase metabolism, burn fat and improve sleep quality. So, take 30 minutes to exercise before bed. The reason is, a body that is tired after exercising will fall asleep more easily and sleep more soundly.
10. Consume mint-smelling drinks.
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Based on the Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medicine reported by brilio.net from Eat This Not That, it was found that people who inhaled the aroma of peppermint every two hours lost an average of 5 pounds per month! Similar aromas that have an appetite suppressing effect are banana, green apple and vanilla. To consume it, you can make infused water with mint leaves and a mixture of other fruits and then consume it before bed.
11. Avoid consuming alcohol.
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Have you ever thought that drinking alcohol before bed can help you sleep more quickly and soundly? In fact, this assumption is completely untrue! According to Upton, a sleep health expert, alcohol can actually disrupt sleep cycles and stimulate appetite because the alcohol content triggers hunger hormones. In addition, consuming alcohol before bed can worsen health conditions such as sleep apnea, asthma, and stomach acid reflux.