Sleep: everyone wants more.
Fat: everyone wants less.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could lose weight overnight while you catch up on some sleep? It turns out you can!
Scientists are learning that anything less than seven hours of sleep puts you at risk of gaining weight.
We won’t judge, but chances are you are probably only getting about 6.8 hours of sleep a night, aren’t you? Don’t feel bad. It looks like everyone is running low on sleep these days. We have all lost more than an hour of sleep from what we used to get in 1942.
Aiming for at least seven hours is a great goal. But even if you really can’t get a full seven hours of rest, a few simple changes can make a big difference…
Here’s 4 easy ways to lose weight overnight.
#1 Too Sweet to Sleep
Many people report being able to sleep better after switching to a healthier diet. There’s good reason for that. Foods high in sugar, especially when eaten before bed, set up a cascade of hormones that will keep you up at night.
In turn, sleeplessness can make you insulin-resistant, sending blood sugar levels ever higher, creating a cycle that leads to excess fat and obesity.
Eating our foods and following our guidelines will reduce your overall sugar intake so your body can rest better at night. Less dietary sugar trims your waistline naturally.
Want to take your fat loss a step further and lose more weight overnight?
Try an overnight fast in which you keep 12-14 hours between your last meal and your first meal the following day. Closing the kitchen early helps you lose more weight than if you ate the same meal later in the evening.
You will sleep better as your body gears down to draw on the long-lasting and stable energy from your fat stores.
Combined with healthy foods, an overnight fast also works like a mini-detox.
You will wake up feeling more refreshed — and you will lose weight faster too.
#2 Blue Light = Up All Night
Blue light, particularly from screens and artificial sources, can disrupt sleep patterns by suppressing the production of the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin.
Researchers believe that blue light delays the body’s internal clock, making it harder to wake up and fall asleep at conventional times. Studies indicate that exposure to blue light, especially before bedtime, leads to difficulty falling asleep, poorer sleep quality and increased potential for late-night snacking.
Excessive blue light exposure can have adverse effects on mood and mental health, contributing to conditions like depression and anxiety. Your mental health impacts your weight by potentially leading to changes in eating habits and altering metabolic processes which ultimately influence fluctuations in body weight.
Smartphones, tablets and computers come with built-in blue light filters or blue light reduction features. These features are often referred to as “Night Shift,” “Night Mode,” or “Blue Light Filter.” They are designed to reduce the amount of blue light emitted by the display, particularly during the evening and nighttime hours. These filters can help reduce the potential negative effects of blue light exposure on sleep patterns.
#3 Sunlight to Boost ZZZ’s and Burn Fat
As we mentioned above, blue light from bright morning light is a signal to your body to start its day. Furthermore, exposure to sunlight on your skin between 8:00 am and noon boosts your mood and your level of alertness during the day while helping you rest better at night.
Get in sync with the sun, doing so can also lower your body fat. People who 20 to 30 minutes a day of bright morning light tend to have lower BMIs than people who do not.
You want to set your circadian clock as soon as your alarm goes off. Get out of the dark and into daylight as quickly as possible. Even if it is a minute or two spent viewing the dawn light through your window, you will feel yourself wake up faster.
No time for that? Ditch wearing your sunglasses on your way into work so you can soak in the light.
A good strategy to synchronize your body with your watch is to take your 20-minute walk outdoors in the morning. Your brisk walk physically and mentally wakes you up, and at the same time gives you exposure to the early morning sun.
The exercise will simultaneously help you to sleep sound as you lose weight overnight.
#4 Do You HATE Mondays? Here’s Why…
Monday mornings not your thing? While you might not have set foot on a plane over the weekend, the deep level of exhaustion at the start of the week is because you are jet-lagged.
How does that happen?
Most of us shift our Monday to Friday work schedule by 2-3 hours when the weekend hits. We stay up later and sleep in longer. To your body, this shift is like flying through a few time zones.
It doesn’t matter if you manage to get more sleep over the weekend; misaligning your time-zone every few days is hard on your body. Fix it and you’ll gear your body to lose weight overnight.
The cure? Keep your weekend social life to the same hours as your work-life. It turns out Mom was right. Having a set time to go to bed and wake up is important to your health!
If you are determined to keep up with your demanding social life, following the other three hacks listed above will help you stay on top of your Monday game.
When it comes to sleep or your waistline, every little positive change counts. So whether you adopt one or all of the strategies above, they add up to improved health and fat loss over the long run — like pennies in a piggy bank.
We Can Help You Sleep Sound with the Right Foods
This is 90% of your weight loss battle. By eating a healthy diet of lean meats, eggs, healthy fats, and vegetables — and skipping excess carbs — you will sleep sounder so you can lose weight overnight.
The good news is… eating right doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming…
With Personal Trainer Food, you get perfectly-balanced, complete meals that contain only delicious meats, eggs, cheeses, and vegetables. No fillers, hidden sugars, bad carbs, or trans fats.
All you get are good-for-you, “ready in 3 minutes” meals that chase away hunger… crank up your metabolism… and help you burn away those excess pounds for good. You’ll never say you can’t lose weight again!
Save now on low-carb meal deliveries
Right now, you can save 30% on any of our weight loss meal plans. Personal Trainer Food delivers everything you need to lose weight– including a Weight loss Coach who will help you get your very best results.
Enter SAVE30 in the promo code box when you check out. You’ll also enjoy fast, complimentary shipping right to your door.
Get started now — and get the RIGHT foods you need to lose those stubborn pounds.
More Popular Resources for You
Everything you need to know to lose weight quickly is here.
Get the straight facts about weight loss here.
Browse all our fitness articles.
All our low-carb recipes can be found here.
The Science
- Longer fasting duration associated with lower odds of obesity.
- Blue light exposure may contribute to depression and anxiety.
- Early morning sunlight lowers body fat.
- Social jet lag promotes obesity.
About the Writer: 100 pounds ago, Jan knew what it is like to be obese, unhappy, and stuck. She has spent the last 17 years as a fitness writer, trainer, yoga teacher, and Weight Loss Coach. Today, she’s proud to be a part of the Personal Trainer Food team so she can continue her goal to help others live their fullest lives possible. Email Jan@PersonalTrainerFood.com if you have any questions!
Offer applicable for 30% off any of our meal plans. Use code SAVE30 at checkout to receive offer. May not be combined with other offers.
Weight loss results not guaranteed and are based on various factors. Copyright © 2018 Personal Trainer Food, All rights reserved.
I was just on the program for 28 days and just following your guidelines was able to lose 20 lbs and 4 inches from my waist Not only do I feel better but getting some of the best night sleep in a long time The program rocks Just got another 28 days to achieve my goal of 40 pounds and to sustain a healthy lifestyle Thanks
Hi Jerry!
I’m so glad to hear that you are getting more sleep these days! And congratulations on your weight loss. You did great!
I always turn off my phone when I go to sleep so I have no temptation to use it.