Last Updated on March 16, 2022 by Latrice
When I first got back to the states, I practiced these things during the day and before bed. I saw noticeable changes in my body quickly. And the scale was doing some good thangs too.
My results were so good one night that my waist beads fell off. I stood out of bed and they rolled right off my waist and onto the floor. Kid you not.
Not only do the methods listed below help with weight loss during sleep, but they also helped me get the most regenerative, brainpower boosting, subconscious connecting, make-you-wanna type of sleep ever!
Fast a few hours before sleep
Ok, so what I’ve been seeing around is that it’s ok to eat close to bedtime. It’s a health myth that the body gains weight if you go to bed on a full tummy. It is found that our metabolisms stay the same and the body is still using calories. Bottom line, eating before bed does not cause weight gain.
HOWEVER, I’ve found in my own experiment that going to bed on an empty stomach, giving my body a few hours to digest food before bed, helps me see the most weight loss and get the most out of sleep.
Not sure why this works, but I do great when I go to bed with food digested for the most part.
Most times I have my dinner 5 hours before bed, but I think 1 to 3 hours between the last meal and sleep works also.
Note: If you are fresh off of heavily processed foods, still eat heavily processed foods, or new to low-carb, this might be a serious challenge that will keep you up. You likely will be hungry at night and need to eat.
Turn off electronics at least 45 minutes to an hour before bed
Have you ever found yourself popping up in the middle of the night? Sometimes it’s what you ate, but it can also be because you were looking at your electronics way too late.
I’ve watched a few gurus speak on the effects of electronics on sleep. I decided to give it a try on myself. It only took a week for me to start sleeping longer hours without popping up in the middle of the night.
Electronics give off lights that trick our bodies into thinking it’s daytime. So even when you’ve fallen asleep, your body is functioning for waking hours. You don’t sleep as deeply as you should and you struggle to stay asleep.
Give it a try. Turn off your electronics an hour to 45 minutes before bed for two weeks and see what happens. It might take some time for your body to adjust, but I bet your sleep will see some type of improvement.
Stop exercising right before bed
I’ve had friends swear that working out before bed was best for them. They’d say the workout tired them out and helped them get drool-worthy sleep.
Those that oppose sleep close to bedtime say exercise too soon to bed negatively affects your circadian rhythm by raising your stress hormones which are designed to also keep you alert.
I workout first thing in the morning and might do a second workout before 3 pm. By my bedtime, I am hella ready to sleep. Eyes heavy and everything.
When I worked out past dark it took me longer to fall asleep and I’d actually lay in bed with an “excited” type of rush. It was interesting when I got a taste of the difference. lol
Give your body a few hours to rest and chill out for better sleep. Working out later might be working for you, but if you find yourself struggling with sleep, and can change when you workout, do so earlier in the day.
Don’t drink caffeine past 3 pm
Caffeine is something I found snuck up on me too like the electronics. I was waking up in the middle of the night if I had caffeine too late.
Caffeine can hinder your sleep, and reduce its beneficial effects by raising your stress hormone and causing alertness. This keeps your sleep too light to reach into those states of sleep where the magic happens.
If your schedule works out where you can sleep at night, quit drinking caffeine after 3 pm. But if you need the caffeine because you’re up at night, give yourself at least 3 to 5 hours between caffeine and when you go to bed.
Go for a light walk outside before bed and get more sunlight during the day
Believe it or not, our bodies are evolutionarily still the same bodies they were over 40,000 years ago. That’s way before electronics and all this indoor living, during a time when human bodies also followed the rhythm of the sun.
Sunlight helps your body know when it’s time to go to bed and when it’s time to get up.
I did notice a bit of a difference in my sleep. The most benefit I experienced was improved mood and getting sleepy less during the middle of the day. I think the days I didn’t need a nap I slept better at night.
Eat healthy throughout the day
Eating clean, nutrient-dense, wholesome, natural foods keep the body properly fueled. Being properly fueled means the body can do what it has to do including sleep good.
Eating clean also helped with hunger before and after sleep. It’s much easier to fast and intermittent fast on a clean diet. Trust me. I know.
Besides sleep, good food improved my mood, energy levels, complexion, blood sugar, weight management, and appetite.
Hi! I'm Latrice
