Everyone wants to be fit and healthy in today's world. Being healthy means having a fit body with a normal BMI.
BMI or the body mass index is the way of measuring the weight in proportion to the height of the person. This will tell us whether we are under weight or over weight.
Maintaining an ideal BMI is very important. When our body weight is healthy, our body carries out all its functions quite effectively. A healthy and fit body helps us stay agile and active preventing numerous lifestyle diseases. It also keeps our mind sharp and healthy.
Excess body weight can harm us in many ways. The excess fat puts a pressure on our skeleton system. It also disrupts the functions of all the hormones. Blood pressure and blood sugar are common ailments which are associated with overweight or obese people and these diseases make way for heart attacks.
Often a person's diet and lifestyle is to be blamed for the excess weight. Leading a healthy lifestyle and eating a balanced diet is the most effective way to lose weight. You need to make sure that you keep away from calorie-rich foods like sweets or oily substances and ensure you get enough exercise.
Often people do not realise that certain bedtime habits are also making them gain weight. If you are eating a late dinner which is high in calories, then this will certainly add up to your weight. Sleeping immediately after eating is also something that you need to avoid. Therefore it is important to follow healthy bed time habits to lose weight and sleep well.
Here are certain bedtime habits that will help you to lose weight and sleep well.
Have Nuts-
Nuts are notoriously known to be full of fat; therefore, people on a weight loss diet generally avoid them. But recent studies have found that nuts contain certain types of proteins and fats which are not fully oxidised in our body.
Thus there are no calories received from them. These fat cells are not digested by our body and pass through our gut and are expelled out of the body. So it is safe to say that only good things from them are absorbed by our body, excreting the unnecessary items.
It is also noted in recent studies that people who consume more nuts have lesser BMI than people who don't. This reason should be enough to make you want to include them in your diet. Having them at bedtime will keep your digestive tract clean because of their rich fibre content. They are the best food to eat at night to lose weight.
Switch Off Your Gadgets-
The light from the electronic gadgets decrease the amount of melatonin, which is responsible to make us sleep. This will keep you up for a longer time and you are bound to have hunger pangs while awake. Switching off gadgets at least an hour before bedtime will ensure that you fall asleep quickly and avoid late night binging.
Soaking Feet In Lukewarm Water-
Soaking feet in luke warm water will help the muscles of your body relax and reduce stress. This will immediately put you to sleep peacefully.
Take A Shower-
Taking a shower with warm water will relax your nerves and help you sleep better. Using any essential oil during the shower will leave a pleasant smell. Good quality of sleep is often linked to weight loss as your body burns a few calories even when you are asleep.
Foot Massage-
Foot reflexology will trigger certain points in the body which will encourage burning of fat cells. A nice relaxing foot massage with your knuckles after a refreshing shower will take you one step closer to your goal.
Wear Comfortable Clothes-
Wearing clean and soft clothes will ensure a good night's sleep. Make sure that the bed sheets are clean too. You need to feel comfortable throughout the night in order to prevent waking up in the middle of the night as it might lead to late night eating binges.
Check For Ventilation In Bedroom-
Your room should have a comfortable temperature and a cosy environment which will soothe your body and immediately put you to sleep. The more you are awake, the more chances of you to think about food.
Drink Warm Milk-
Warm milk is the best known remedy to induce sleep at night. The enzymes present in milk are known to increase your serotonin levels, which will help reduce stress and put you to sleep. This is the best drink before bedtime to lose weight.
Use The Washroom Before You Go To Bed-
Emptying the bladder before jumping off to bed will give you undisturbed full night's sleep. Many people are known to head straight to the kitchen after visiting the bathroom and snack on unhealthy stuff. In order to prevent this, just make sure that you have no reason to wake up and leave your bed in the middle of the night.
Read A Book-
Reading a book is much better than using gadgets as reading will help calm your brain cells and put you to sleep.
Switch Off The Light-
The place you choose to sleep in should be away from all sources of natural light. Any artificial lighting will also hamper the release of melatonin, a hormone responsible for making you sleep. You will be able to sleep much better in darkness. A small bed light won't do you much harm though, if you are sacred of under-the-bed monsters.
Add Pepper In Your Dinner-
Pepper contains natural substances which will help stimulate your digestive system and increase your metabolism. This will help you lose weight considerably. Pepper is also known to burn belly fat.
Avoid Alcohol-
It may be a common habit of many to have a glass of wine before going to bed as it would make you sleep better. But recent studies have claimed that alcohol interferes with the way we sleep and increases wakefulness in adults. It also decreases the sleep quality and reduces duration time. Consuming alcohol will also not help you in losing weight because of its calorie content.
Incorporate Bedtime Yoga-
Doing yoga before bedtime will only increase the adrenaline in your body which will make it difficult to go to sleep. Also, it will make you hungry, leading to weight gain. However, you can meditate and do savasana to get good sleep.