Operation Clean Air

How does sleep affect weight loss?
Does sleep affect weight loss? It's an important question, especially If you are dieting and exercising in a bid to shed some pounds. Good sleep is just as vital as moving and fueling our bodies, as it gives us time to rest and reset.

Professionals say that we should be getting on average 6-8 hours of sleep a night, but for many of us, stressful jobs, families or even technology means we’re not getting anything like that amount of sleep each night. When we don’t get enough sleep it affects how we function and ultimately our eating habits. But can we lose calories as we sleep and how does lack of snoozing ultimately affect our appetite?

Believe it, or not, we actually burn calories as we sleep - but of course, we all burn a different amount of calories, just like we do when we’re awake. Most people burn an average of 50 calories an hour when asleep, but the exact amount is based on our personal basal metabolic rate (BMR) - and of course the more sleep we get the more calories we burn. So someone who only sleeps an average of 5 hours a night is more likely to burn less calories than someone who regularly gets 8 hours a night. This is why it can be important to learn how to sleep for longer if you generally don't get much sleep.

How to get stronger
Learning how to get stronger can benefit both your physical and mental health – it’s a win-win for body and mind.

Building strength can help you reduce the risk of age-related conditions like osteoporosis and sarcopenia (muscle wastage), as well as improve balance, posture and focus, while reducing stress and anxiety, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

"To be physically strong is be mentally strong and both are hugely important for overall physical and mental health," said personal trainer Angie Bell, who runs StudioBelles gym.

"Whatever your age, body type or training style, physical strength is of huge importance as it allows us to do the daily functional tasks of movements well, with less risk of injury."

Like medicine in the treatment of mental illness, exercise can increase levels of mood-boosting serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain.

It improves and normalizes neurotransmitter levels, which improves brain health and helps us feel mentally strong, according to a Center for Disease Control and Prevention study.

But how do you build strength? All sorts of training can help you get stronger, from rowing machines and resistance to free weights and core work. In this article, we will cover how to get stronger and why it’s important.

WHY STRENGTH IS IMPORTANT
How to get stronger: Image shows woman training with weights.

(Image credit: Getty)
Personal trainer Angie Bell said: "Being physically strong allows us to live life at its best; it reduces the risk of injury, helps us shed fat and maintain a healthy weight with stronger bones, and builds muscle mass and confidence.

"Because muscle, even at rest, burns more calories than fat, starting a strength training routine can help you lose inches, even if you don’t see a change on the scales," said Bell. "So the more toned your muscles, the more calories you will burn a day - knowing how to get stronger is a great way to lose or maintain weight."

Regular strength training can also reduce the symptoms of chronic conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, depression and diabetes.

GETTING STARTED
If you want to learn how to get stronger, then you might want to consider investing in a personal trainer or going to a strength and conditioning class.

"Hiring a professional fitness instructor or attending a class means you will learn how to do the exercises properly with good technique and form, which means you are less likely to injure yourself," said Angie Bell.

"And if you’re a woman who is worried that lifting weights will make you ‘bulk up’, don’t worry as your body chemistry will stop that from happening." Women have lower levels of the hormone testosterone, so they don’t gain muscle mass in the same way as men.

"In fact, because women are so susceptible to osteoporosis and bone issues, especially around the onset of menopause, regularly lifting weights and strength training is extra important," said Bell.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation agrees - it recommends weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises for those at risk for or diagnosed with osteoporosis.

We know it works for fitness, but does running build muscle? And are there other physical benefits?
Plenty of people take up running to get fit, but does running build muscle? When considering building muscle, many people picture lifting at the gym or working with resistance bands, so how does running fit into that?

According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, over 50 million Americans run and jog regularly, keeping up with the World Health Organization’s recommended 150-300 minutes of weekly activity. Running is an excellent way to get fit regardless of whether you take to the treadmill or explore your local area, and in general running is good for you.

Related: Best running headphones

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If you consider professional athletes, some runners tend to look more muscular than others. Researchers reported in 2020 in the British Sports Journal that many professional sprinters incorporate muscle building into their routines for improved running economy, a faster time trial and faster maximal sprint speed, but not all runners emphasize this. So does running only build muscle when you add in a muscle-building training program?

Runner at starting line

Research has shown that strength training interventions that last between 6–20 weeks during some distance runners training programme enhances their running economy by up to 8%. (Image credit: Getty Images )
In this article, we are going to dive into the science behind running’s relationship with your body and its effect on the muscles in particular.

HOW DOES RUNNING HELP TO BUILD MUSCLE?
In a 2017 study by experts from the Department of Kinesiology at Taylor University, 12 university students and five older subjects were studied as they embarked on a 10-week high-intensity interval training program. Researchers found that 'aerobic exercise is an effective mode of activity for the promotion of cardiorespiratory fitness (capacity of the circulatory and respiratory system) and increase in the whole muscle size of the quadriceps.’

Related: Best vegan protein powder

While HIIT can be a form of running, does running at a consistent pace build muscle?

A study published in the journal Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, discovered that when you run, you use repetitive weight-bearing motion to work various muscles in your lower body, including your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. The study also concluded that the best way to promote muscle growth with cardio is to exercise for 30-40 minutes four to five days a week with an intensity of 70-80% heart rate reserve. This heart rate reserve is the difference between your maximum and resting heart rates.

However, just running will not be enough to build muscle. If increased muscle mass is your goal, incorporating sprint and muscle training, like HIIT, can help you gain muscle mass, according to the Journal of Exercise Science. Alongside your training, getting enough rest, listening to your body, and eating a nutritionally balanced diet will also help build towards your goals. We have advice on what to eat before a run if you need it.