[Cate15]

Currently I have a really weird sleep patter. Styaing up all night and sleeping most of the day. Eating my main meal (500 cals) at dinner time (5 o'clock) but that could be an hour or two after ive gotton up.

Would a normalised sleeping pattern ( says up at 9am and bed at 11pm) inprove the effects of my weight loss. Is this weird sleeping hindering weight loss cause theres no real routine?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

[PhotoChick]

Lack of sleep can hinder weight loss, especially if you're working out as well. Your body needs sleep to rejuvenate and prepare for the next day!

Whether or not you sleep those hours at night as "normal" ... that will just depend. My natural circadian rhythm is not set to go to bed at 10 and wake up at 6 or whatever. I am naturally a night-owl and do best when I go to bed around 3 and get up around 11 or so. It's one of the reasons that I enjoy owning my own business - I get to set my own hours and work at 2 a.m. if I want.

For me, that works. As long as I get between 5-6 hours of sleep a night, I do really really well. When I start getting less than that, my weight loss suffers. There are others who *need* 8+ hours. I have a friend who has to be in bed at 9:30 or he really does just become incapable of functioning - he even has a hard time stringing sentences together. But he naturally wakes up at 5:30 every morning - no alarm needed - and runs 3-5 miles before breakfast (the freak! ).

So yes, weird sleeping patterns or lack of sleep can hinder your weight loss, but what's "weird" or "too little" is a very individual thing.

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[meowee]

I agree with Photochick . . . as long as this is a natural pattern for you and as long as you get enough total sleep, you should not have a problem.

[SSmomof1]

How do ya'll feel about broken sleep? In increments of 3 hours or so. Let's say 5am to 8 or 9am then 1pm to 3 or 4 pm? Sometimes I can't tell if it's lack of sleep, lack of quality sleep or sometimes the depression/anxiety that's dragging me down?

[PhotoChick]

How do ya'll feel about broken sleep? In increments of 3 hours or so. Let's say 5am to 8 or 9am then 1pm to 3 or 4 pm? Sometimes I can't tell if it's lack of sleep, lack of quality sleep or sometimes the depression/anxiety that's dragging me down?

Honestly I think this is really one of those "depends on the person" things.

I am a HUGE fan of naps - but for me a nap *has* to be at least 2 hours. If I take a 20 min snooze, I wake up groggy and out of sorts. My guy is the same way. He and I both function really well if we get 2 chunks of 3-ish hours at a time over the course of a day, but really don't need more than 5.

My sorta-ex-husband (long story) is a power napper. He gets 5-ish hours of sleep a night and then naps for 20 mins at lunch and again for 20-30 mins in the evening and that's perfect for him.

Another friend of mine as I mentioned above - is the must-have-8-hours-in-a-row kind of guy. He turns into a pumpkin at 9:30 and wakes up naturally (w/out an alarm clock) at 5:30 every morning.

Each of us thinks the other is crazy.

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[meowee]

We really are not twins . . . but . . . like Photochick, I tend to be a napper also and really don't think it does any harm if that is your natural sleep pattern. I strongly believe that 3 hours when your body really wants it is at least as good as four hours 'just because you're supposed to be asleep now'. As long as it fits your schedule, go for it.

[SSmomof1]

Thanks PhotoChick and meowee!!!!