Is the best weight-loss solution...your pillow?

Your alarm goes off ...and you get out of bed, annoyed that you couldn’t sleep for another hour or two. You feel tired - exhausted even - and just want to get through the day. You crave something sweet or some carbs - a biscuit and some coffee will surely give you the energy to make it through the morning...

Most of us are sleep deprived. Very few people actually get the quality sleep that they should be getting and are able to sleep the number of hours that they need to. Sleep seems to fall to the bottom of our priority list... it is sometimes even seen as a waste of time...and yet getting enough sleep is so key not just for our general health but also for our waist-lines.

Have you noticed that when you are tired, you snack more and need to reach for more sugar/carbs just to get you through the day? Many studies have noted that inadequate and poor-quality sleep can lead to an increased risk of obesity. Insufficient sleep has been linked to individuals being more prone to making bad food choices (including consuming excess carbohydrates and fats), increased energy intake, increased snacking and a lower metabolism.

So when you are frantically looking for the next diet or meal plan that might be the best weight-loss solution - maybe the first thing you should ask yourself is whether you are getting enough sleep. Prioritising sleep is likely to lead to better food choices, less snacking and an improved metabolism. I guess there is a reason we call it “beauty sleep” - it really can improve the way you look and feel significantly!