I haven’t slept very well over the past couple weeks.

I don’t know why, I just haven’t.

I used to read business related books before I went to bed and had to quit doing that because it made my brain start “working” and that doesn’t help you sleep.  I’ve learned I have to read fiction before bed…that puts me to sleep quite easily.

The funny thing is I’ve noticed myself acting differently and craving different foods due to my sleepiness.

It’s no surprise that my workouts have been subpar as of late because of my sleepiness.

That’s obvious. You’re tired, you don’t have the energy, you can’t workout as hard and with as much effort.

And if you normally have trouble motivating yourself to do your fat loss workout, you will really have trouble motivating yourself when you’re tired.

The most interesting thing to me is how my sleepiness has affected my cravings.

Lack of sleep can and will influence how you eat, what you eat, and what you crave.

To put it bluntly, you will start to crave more carbohydrates and sweets when you’re tired.

Carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of fuel and energy.  Carbohydrates are needed, however when you don’t get enough sleep, you will crave a diet higher in carbohydrates simply because your body (more specifically your brain) wants the extra energy it would get from those carbohydrates.

That’s all well and good, except the carbohydrates you crave are not going to be fruits and veggies. They’re going to be foods high in sugar and processed carbohydrates such as candy, bagels, chips, crackers, soda, coffee loaded with sugar, white breads, etc.

All the things you know you should not eat if you want to lose fat, but when you’re tired it makes it tough to resist.

I’m not even going to get into the hormonal issues with not getting enough sleep.  That is way too boring and too “sciency” for me.  Just know that lack of sleep has an effect on hormone levels and how well your body repairs itself.

If your body doesn’t repair itself adequately at night, you won’t be able to function as well in the coming days.

It’s easy to see that this could be the missing piece in your fat loss puzzle.

You could be eating the right things and exercising, but if you’re not getting enough rest and sleep, you’re really hindering the results you could achieve.

So to put it bluntly, if you’re not sleeping enough…start.

Your body will thank you for it, as will your brain.

You’ll start burning fat easier.

You won’t be as achy and sore after your workouts.

Your brain will “work” better because you’ll be more refreshed and quite frankly, you’ll probably be more fun to be around.

So do yourself, and everybody else, a favor.  If you’re not getting enough sleep or rest, start now.

Have a good day!

Ed

P.S. – One more thing…If you have to ask what the minimum amount of sleep necessary is, you probably need more so don’t ask.