7 Things Your Nutritionist Probably Doesn't Know About Sleep

by Dr. Michael Breus

Reviewed by Susan D'Addario,
Certified Sleep Science Coach
Certified Mind Body Eating Coach
Licensed HeartMath Certified Coach

Dr. Michael Breus’ article covers the many factors about how and why good sleep and healthy levels of melatonin concretely support one’s fat burning ability, as well as maintain a healthy body composition.Some of the key points Dr. Breus reviews include:

Sleep can stimulate fat-burning fat including brown and beige fat.
Melatonin helps the production of more fat-burning fats.
Melatonin also helps to convert white fat - essentially the fat that hangs over our belts and why many of us want to lose weight.
Sleeping in a cool environment stimulates brown and beige fats to burn baby burn.
Melatonin also helps in appetite control - Low melatonin leads to lower levels of leptin - (the hormone that makes you feel full). Imagine what happens when leptin is low! It makes it very difficult to experience fullness even after eating a substantial meal.

Moreover, low melatonin levels, which happens when we sleep poorly, also increases ghrelin - the hunger hormone - yikes! So, the more ghrelin in your system, the more you’re going to feel very hungry.

Now, put the 2 concepts together of a) low leptin - (meaning you won’t feel full) - coupled with b) higher ghrelin - (you’re going to be perpetually hungry and crave food). As if that weren’t already enough, the craves you will experience are more often than not for junk food or carbage - carbs/garbage.

Oh, my!

As with melatonin, outdoor light helps to regulate your eating hormones. Light during the day also let’s your master clock know that melatonin should be released by 8:30/9pm at night.

So, make good and sure to get light starting in the morning and dim artificial light and block blue light in the eves. This will all help to keep your melatonin rhythm on track, which leads to better sleep and, ultimately, adjust your eating hormones.

There’s plenty more to read and learn about in Dr. Breus’ article. Have a look for yourself.