Are you struggling to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle despite doing all the right things? In this episode, we dive into an often-overlooked factor that could be holding you back: sleep. Drawing on insights from Dr. Casey Means’ book Good Energy, I unpack the science of how your sleep impacts your hormones, metabolism, and even your hunger cues. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand why quality sleep is a cornerstone of your weight regulation and health in general and how to optimize it. 

You’ll learn why poor sleep sends your body into oxidative stress and disrupts your microbiome, leading to inflammation, insulin resistance, and even weight gain. We’ll explore the powerful role of circadian rhythms in regulating your metabolism and how exposing your eyes to natural light in the morning can reset your internal clock. I’ll also break down how sleep deprivation alters hunger hormones, driving you to overeat, and explain why aligning your meal timing with your body’s natural rhythms can improve your health and energy levels.

I’ll share actionable, research-backed strategies to help you optimize your sleep, from simple changes like blocking blue light and setting a consistent bedtime to more advanced tools like wearable trackers for monitoring your sleep quality. Your homework? Choose at least three of these strategies to try over the next two weeks. Whether it’s spending five minutes outdoors every morning, dimming lights in the evening, or moving your meals earlier in the day, these small changes can add up to big results for your health and weight.

This episode will empower you to take control of your sleep and, in turn, your health. By the end, you’ll know how to build better habits around rest and recovery and feel inspired to prioritize sleep as a key part of your weight-loss journey. Tune in and get ready to transform your nights—and your life.

Homework:

1. Choose three sleep strategies to implement over the next two weeks.
2. Track your sleep duration, REM, and deep sleep using a wearable device.
3. Experiment with meal timing and light exposure to support your circadian rhythm.

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Audio engineering by Young Cub Audio.