The Secret to Better Weight and Focus: Sleep!

Good sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but did you know that getting enough sleep can help you lose weight and be more focused the next day? Weight struggles and obesity affect many Americans and their health. Weight issues contribute to health concerns like diabetes, heart disease, and joint problems. Focus and mental energy are on the opposite end of this spectrum, with most people finding themselves lacking these qualities. However, research has shown that good sleep and weight loss go hand in hand.  

Why Sleep is Important for Focus

When you’re sleep-deprived, your thought processes slow down. Studies on sleepiness have shown that lack of sleep contributes to a less alert mental state and reduced levels of concentration. This decreases your ability to focus and process what is happening around you, which can lead to confusion. If you’re doing a lot of complex thinking and logical reasoning, it may be more of a struggle if you’re sleep-deprived. 

If you are really sleepy, then you’ll have worse memory. While you sleep your brain is processing everything you learned and took in throughout the day. Sleep strengthens the nerve connections that make up our memories, so proper sleep supports your short-term memory. One way to combat a lack of focus during the day due to lack of sleep is with a Seattle Gummy Company (SGC) Mocca Shot energy gummy. These delicious gummies have caffeine, B vitamins, and brain herb ginkgo biloba that give you increased focus and alertness. 

Why You Can’t Lose Weight if You Don’t Sleep

If you’re wondering, “Why aren’t I losing weight?”, here’s a possible answer. Lack of sleep can set your body up to gain more weight than if you were sleeping properly. This might be bitter news for those who struggle with both sleep and weight loss. However, sleeping well is not only important for weight loss, experts say it’s as important as a healthy diet and proper exercise. One way that good sleep supports weight loss is that it makes health decisions easier. Lack of sleep impairs judgment, making it easier to skip your daily exercise and indulge in an extra pastry. Several studies link a lack of sleep to more late-night snacking, more carbs, and increased portions of food. Sleepiness also leads to food cravings as your body’s reward center searches for something that feels better than being tired. So, it’s important to figure out how to have better sleep for weight loss goals. 

Melatonin Gummies

If you’re looking for better sleep for focus or weight loss, then melatonin gummies might be the thing for you. Melatonin gummies, like SGC’s Slumber Shot, help the body fall asleep. The Slumber Shot contains powerful sleep herb valerian root as well as 3 mg of melatonin to help calm the mind and relax the body. The next time you wonder how to clear your mind to sleep, a Slumber Shot may be the answer. 

Herbal Tea and Supplements

If you’re wondering how to clear your mind before sleep, a soothing cup of herbal tea makes a wonderful nighttime ritual. Not only is drinking tea relaxing, but many herbs have calming or sedating qualities that can help soothe a wired mind and release tight muscles. You can also access the power of herbs through capsules or liquid tinctures. Here are some herbs that support a sound night’s sleep.

• Chamomile

• Valerian Root

• Passionflower

• Skullcap

• Lavender

• Holy Basil (Tulsi)

Mindfulness or Meditation Practice

If you’re wondering how to clear your mind for sleep, try mindfulness. Taking a few minutes, (even five minutes is wonderful) to relax your mind and body can help aid your transition into sleep. There are many meditation apps, like the Insight Timer, that have guided meditations and other mindfulness tools. A simple mindfulness exercise is to sit comfortably and gently let your awareness drift from the top of your head down your body to your toes, and then move back up again.

Turn Off Screens

Putting your screens away 30-120 minutes before bedtime allows your body to relax from how stimulating the screen lights are. Try reading, stretching, meditating, or taking a hot bath or shower during this time. 

Create Peace In Your Room

As much as possible, make your room a restful place. Turning off or covering any ambient light can work wonders, as can blackout curtains. Addressing comfort in the bedroom may look like a new pillow, bedding, or even a new mattress. Add soothing scents to your nightly routine with essential oils like lavender, chamomile, or ylang-ylang. Another strategy for a sound night’s sleep is to start limiting your time in your bedroom to sleeping and sex. In short, you create a dedicated space to sleep and do leisure activities in other rooms. 

Sometimes there are things we cannot control that disturb the peace of our bedrooms. Situations like these may require the use of things like earplugs (consider the silicone ones for great noise reduction), white noise machines or fans, and an eye mask to block out the light. Another tool to be used is the direct, polite conversation with those who are perpetrating noise while you’re trying to sleep. Know your audience though-a baby is a hopeless cause, but your otherwise friendly neighbors might be more receptive.