Overweight - Are Late Nights Making You Fat?

It is no secret that the size of our population is increasing. And I do mean outwards rather than in numbers. Discussions as to why this is the case are numerous and include anything from the type of food that we eat, the serving size, gut toxicity and hormones imbalances.

And now a study (St-Onge, March 2011) has found that not enough sleep can contribute. The study found that when tired, women ate around 328.6 extra calories a day compared to men who ate 262.7 extra calories a day.

Having worked night shift for some years, this really comes as no surprise to me. Without adequate sleep it is difficult to motivate oneself to cook a healthy meal. For me personally, waking up after only a few hours of sleep always ended up in a trip to the fridge. Having witnessed what was eaten on night shift by my fellow workers in the hospital (sweets & lollies, chips from the vending machine etc.); it is also of no surprise that sleep deprived people put on weight.

But when it comes to putting on weight and sleeping irregular hours, other factors also come in to play. The body has its own 24 hour clock called the circadian rhythm which is programmed for sleeping and eating at specific times of the day. For example our adrenal hormones are raised early in the mornings to support us becoming active as we prepare ourselves for the day. Our digestive function is supposedly at its most active at 8am in the morning. So for shift workers, going to sleep in the daytime and staying away through the night is fighting against the inbuilt functions of our body.

Stress can often be the cause of problem sleep, especially if a person is waking between 2 and 3 am. Raised cortisol levels can be the result of stress. These hormones are glucose based and can subsequently disrupt the burning of fat.

As tempting as it may be to stay up late to watch a movie or to go out clubbing at 10 o'clock at night, remember that these habits do not support your health. If working night shift is unavoidable here's a few tips to help control your weight and your health.

Plan ahead to ensure that you have plenty of healthy food available in the house, otherwise you may be tempted to grab the first thing at hand when you wake up hungry.Take a packet of nuts to work with you - nibbling on these is a healthy option that provides a good source of protein, fat and carbohydrate.Take food to work with you. This way you are less likely to join in the early morning sugar hit that many of your work mates will be relying on to get them through their shift.Try to avoid eating 4 hours prior to sleep time or having caffeine drinks late into your shift. This will only make sleep matters worse.Be prepared to change your exercise habits - abandoning them while doing night work will not help with sleep or burning those extra calories that might sneak in each day.Increase your sleep quality by establishing an environment that is sleep enhancing e.g.blackening out your bedroom, reducing all noise e.g. using an air conditioner to block out unwanted noise, no television in the room. Also take the phone off the hook, ask the neighbours to keep quite, avoid stimulating activity (e.g. exercise) prior to sleep.

By incorporating a few of these simple steps, longterm health and weight issues could be avoided.

Vivienne Savill is an author, Naturopath and Nurse who runs a natural health clinic in Australia. She is passionate about teaching people how to maintain good health and prevent ill health, through the use of diet, nutrition, lifestyle and herbs. Vivienne has written numerous self help books including How to Stop Metabolic Syndrome: A Prevention and Treatment Guide to Insulin Resistance, Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease, which can be found at http://www.recipetohealth.com/.

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Overweight-do you are late Nights on Fat?

Is not a secret that our small population is increasing. And I mean outwards rather than numbers. Discussions on why this is the case with the large number of, and contains none of the food we eat, the size of the place of gut hormones of toxicity and the imbalances in the type.

And now a research (St-Onge, for the March 2011) has found that not enough sleep may contribute to. The investigation found that when tired, women ate around the extra calories for men, 328.6 who ate the extra Calories per day, compared to 262.7/day.

Night shift worked for some years, this really should not surprise me. Without adequate sleep is difficult to motivate yourself to a meal with healthy Cook. Me personally, waking only to a few hours always ended trip to the fridge, the sleep mode. Having witnessed what had eaten the night shift workers to yourself, my hospital (sweets and candy vending machine, other, etc.); It is also not a surprise to the weight placed on the users of the sleep deprived.

But when it comes to putting on weight, and sleeping in the irregular working hours, in addition, other factors come in to play. Institution has its own 24-hour clock is known as a circadian rhythm, which is programmed into the Sleeping and eating in the day, at specific times. For example, our adrenal hormones are bred in the early morning in support of the US, still active, as we have days of Defense policy. Our digestive system function is thought to be the active 8 am in the morning. Sleep by day and night through out staying in is the way our body combat shift of workers in the implementation of the instruments of the functions.

Stress can often sleep in the cause of the problem, especially if the person is between; whereas consultation of 2 and 3 am. Heightened levels of Cortisol can be the result of the stress. These hormones are based on the glucose and the burning of fat at a later date may interfere with.

As tempting as it may be delayed up to late for a movie or go out clubbing at 10 o'clock at night, keep in mind that these methods do not support the use of health. If working night shift is necessary, here are some tips for your weight and health.

Make sure that you have plenty of available wholesome food in the House, otherwise you might be tempted to grab the first-hand when you wake up hungry in the design in advance.Take the nuts you can access the package at the bend-these is a healthy alternative that provides a good source of protein, fat and carbohydrate.Take food with you. In this way, you are likely to join the sugar in the early morning to hit that many workers to be allowed to obtain mates through their shift.Try to avoid eating for 4 hours before the sleep time, or take caffeine drinks, the late part of the user's choice. This can only worsen the sleep.Get ready to change your exercise habits-Abandoning surrender while doing night work do not help to sleep or the burning of these extra calories, which may be able to sneak on a daily basis.Sleep-improving quality through the setting up of an environment that is in sleep mode and the improvement of the e.g.blackening out of the bedroom, for example, by using intimate to prevent unwanted noise, not the TV in the room all of the noise reduction. Take your handset is also considered to be a fairly encouraging, avoid neighbouring States (for example, using) before you can sleep in.

By incorporating a few simple steps for weight and health longterm problems could be avoided.

Vivienne is a factor Savill Naturopath and the Nurse, who runs a natural health clinic in Australia. He is passionate about teaching people to maintain good health and prevent ill health, diet, nutrition, lifestyle and herbs through (a). Vivienne is the author of numerous books on the topic itself is also a stop to the Metabolic Syndrome (1): A Guide to the prevention and treatment of Insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which can be found at http://www.recipetohealth.com/.

View the original article here