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I know it seems kind of weird to think that night routines can affect how you lose weight, but they do! Think about it, the nighttime sets up your whole next day.
Recently, I have been implementing some new nightly routine habits that are incredibly helpful for weight loss. I want to share them with you because no matter where you are in your weight loss or fitness journey, you could always use some new and exciting ways to boost your health.
This night routine is great for weight loss in that it reduces stress. If you haven’t checked out my recent post on proven ways to reduce stress and why it’s important, you should def check it out.
Stress is a huge culprit for weight gain, overeating, and even diabetes and heart failure.
Yikes.
The worst thing you can do though is to freak out about stress. Don’t do this! Stress is a good thing on occasion but it’s staying in the fight or flight mode that can wreak havoc on your sleep cycles and your hormones.
Getting a night routine is in order to reduce stress so you can rest and rejuvenate! Here are some cute ways you can have a better night routine!
Schedule a complimentary call with me to figure out some ways we can tackle stress, sleep, environment, weight loss and more together!
Say sayonara to your phone at 6:00 pm
Turning off your phone or putting your phone and other addicting electronics away early will increase melatonin. If you don’t know what melatonin is, it’s a hormone that releases around the time of bed time so you can go to sleep. Our brains are very powerful in that they know when its time to go to bed and when its time to wake up because of hormones!
Taking off the day with a hot shower or relaxing bath
Getting in some hot water before bed with some soothing lavender body wash can relax you. Studies show that lavender can decrease stress and get you ready for bed which is exactly what is needed after a long day of studying or work. If you’re taking a bath, try this boujie bath milk to increase your mood.
How does this relate to weight loss & Sleep?
It all goes back to the hormone cortisol. When this hormone is under control, you are less stressed out. When this is high, you look to food for comfort which can lead to overeating and a bad relationship with food. Cortisol makes us crave greasy fatty foods.
Work on your flexibility by stretching
Some people do yoga or stretching to help their flexibility. It’s incredibly important to stretch out your body especially after being sedentary for most of the day. Another good option is to go for a light walk with a loved one, friend or even your furry companion. Taking a walk can send some endorphins to your brain and boost your mood by a lot! This will also make you feel nice and light and also help aid in digestion for the day and the upcoming day.
How does this relate to weight loss?
Stretching out your body helps elongate it and keep your organs healthy. It can also be a good strength workout and allow you to burn some extra calories before bed! And, walking is great for your health as well. Just walking can help you melt the fat off.
Eat a healthy balanced meal
Health experts and dieticians claim that it doesn’t matter what time you eat if you do! If you skip a meal (in the evening), you could have higher chances of getting something called hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is more common in diabetics but is something that happens when blood sugar is low. It can interfere with the sleep that can make you wake up from nightmares or comfortability. Check out this article by Mayo Clinic.
A good way to prevent this is to eat a well-balanced meal with at least 1-2 cups of water. A well-balanced meal consists of veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. A good example of this would be a serving of fish or other protein, sautéed broccoli, and some garlic quinoa on the side. For dessert, have some dark chocolate and some berries are also delicious and well balanced too!
Not only does this help with weight loss, but it will also help you sleep better by getting the nutrients you need to stay full and satisfied. You don’t have to give up carbs to lose weight. In fact, you need complex carbs in order to lose weight.
7 Day Reset Cleanse by Christina Carlyle is something that helped me introduce more fruits and veggies into my diet.
Create a comfy environment
Getting a humidifier, aromatherapy machine, cozy sheets, or a Himalayan salt lamp are all ways to create a comfy space. I personally love to have a big comforter on, the heat off, and a humidifier on as they all help me sleep. If you create a nice cozy place to rest, you are more inclined to have better sleep.
How does this relate to weight loss?
The comfier you are, the better sleep you will have. The better sleep you have, the more your cortisol levels are under control. Cortisol levels need to be stable because they control hunger and stress. Stress also causes overeating. If you couldn’t tell these all play a part in a cycle and affect weight loss and disease greatly.
Drink Tea
Drinking a warm comforting tea before bed is helpful for a good night’s sleep. Drinking tea will also prevent you from overeating in the night which can lead to weight gain. If you think about it, tea can help you lose weight! Like taking a hot shower or bath, the heat signals to your body you are comfy and it can make you sleepy.
Best Teas for NightTime
- Stash peppermint tea
- Harney & Sons Chamomile tea
- Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea
- Yogi Lavender Honey Tea
I have another article on 6 Fat Burning Drinks that Taste Delicious as well if you are interested in that.
Overall, Its important to have a bomb nightly routine so you can reduce your stress levels. Stress and sleep are closely related to chronic diseases and weight gain. This can be something that is easily implemented in your schedule and all of these things are easy to do!
Let me know what you do for your night routine! I would love to hear some new ideas.
XOXO
DACIA
