Garth Heckman

The David Alliance

[email protected] 

#The brotherhood manifesto

#TripleCsurvivor 

2. Poor Sleep and Chronic Stress

Disrupted sleep and elevated cortisol (stress hormone) are major saboteurs. Poor sleep increases hunger hormones (ghrelin), decreases fullness signals (leptin), and promotes fat storage—especially around the midsection. High stress from work, life demands, or overtraining triggers emotional or comfort eating and makes the body hold onto fat as a survival response. Many men underestimate how much "just pushing through" with less sleep or high-pressure jobs undermines results.

Not to mention poor sleep causes poor eating habits which can cause inactivity which is muscle loss, which increases visceral fat.

How to address it: Prioritize 7–9 hours of quality sleep nightly. Manage stress with short daily practices (walks, meditation, or hobbies). Avoid late-night screens and over-caffeine. Have a sound machine, a fan, a night mask that blacks out all light, cut out late snacking and caffeine… whatever it takes sleep is king!