Metabolic Mega Booster

February is almost over!

And that means spring and summer are rapidly approaching!🙌

Before we know it, we will be enjoying vacations, pool parties, lake and beach trips, and all sorts of other activities…

And while all those things are exciting, I also know that for some of us,  that can be stressful after a winter of less activity and potentially packing on a few pounds…

We know what to do to combat it in the form of exercise and dietary control, but I wanted to speak today on how adding proper sleep can give our metabolism a mega boost to make shedding those extra pounds a bit easier and more efficient.

I know that we typically think of metabolism as something that’s occurring primarily while we are awake, but research shows that our  sleep  plays a primary role in regulating our metabolic processes…

And there are multiple pathways in which this is accomplished. 

Let’s start with promoting HORMONAL BALANCE!

Sleep plays a key role in regulating hormones that control our appetite and metabolism. Leptin, Ghrelin, insulin, and cortisol to name a few. All of these can become unbalanced when we don’t get enough sleep which may lead to increases in hunger and decreases in metabolic rate. Higher caloric intake in conjunction with less calories burned can quickly make that scale read numbers we don’t like!

Next is  cellular repair. While we sleep, our bodies are repairing and recovering from the stresses of the day. Our tissues, cells and organs need to be replenished and rejuvenated to operate properly and keep our machine (bodies) operating at optimal efficiency which in turn promotes a healthy metabolic rate. Think of it like a machine or vehicle. Without proper fuel, working parts, lubricants, and maintenance, performance will suffer and we are no different!

In addition,  stress reduction is pivotal in maintaining our metabolism. When we are stressed, our body releases cortisol, which isn’t a bad thing if managed properly, but if left unchecked can lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, potentially causing insulin resistance and slow metabolism while storing more fat. When we are under stress, like a lack of sleep, our normal metabolic processes are interrupted because our bodies are in a fight or flight state and our bodies try to hold onto its resources. Sometimes the ones you don’t want 😬

Lastly,  energy expenditure is increased with adequate sleep. Meaning, that while our bodies are at rest and undergoing the cellular repair we talked about earlier, we are burning more calories. Cellular repair takes energy in and of itself so the longer and more deeply we can sleep, the more repair takes place and the more calories are utilized. Furthermore, a well rested body and mind are far more likely to engage in physical activity, exercise, and energy output than that of someone who is poorly rested.  So when we are doing more during the day, we are burning off more calories and fat during those activities, but can also be raising our metabolic rates as well! That’s a “two-for” if you ask me!!

So as we can see, putting an emphasis on sleep can help a great deal in our quests to shed those winter layers as well as promoting a healthy metabolism at all times of the year!!

Have a slimming sleep tonight,

Kirk Parsley, M.D.

P.S. If you want even more of a  Mega Metabolism BOOST, Sleep Remedy can put you in an optimal environment to hit the accelerator on your spring slim down with our 110% money back guarantee! Try it today!