Sadly, yes, insomnia can contribute to weight gain. Regrettably, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place right now until I have knee surgery to repair my torn meniscus, as I am unable to do any extensive cardio or fat-burning and calorie-burning exercises until after the surgery and knee recovery specifically through rehab and physical therapy.
According to WebMD, my physical therapy could look like the following, “You’ll start to work on making your leg muscles stronger, which takes some of the stress off your knee and cut your pain. Your therapist will give you exercises to do at home and show you how to practice them safely.
Strength training exercises are a key part of the PT workout. For instance, you may need to do some of these moves:
- Hamstring curls
- Single leg dips
- Step-ups
- Straight leg lifts
- Wall squats
- Balancing exercises
You usually start with just a few at a time and then do more as you get stronger. You may need to add weights to make your muscles work harder,”.
Based on my previous experience with physical therapy for my back, shoulders, and pelvic floor, that sounds about right.
To add insult to injury (ha-ha, no pun intended!), I am going through menopause. Furthermore, as a middle-aged menopausal woman, I have had quite a few side effects from menopause, and the one particularly giving me a lot of grief lately is sleep apnea. Unfortunately, sleep apnea can cause heart problems if not addressed in a timely manner, as well as weight gain from the lack of quality sleep.
For some, sleep is an elusive “dream,” and many go on for years without realizing there are viable solutions to their sleep deprivation or insomnia.
Sleep deficiency is linked to many chronic health problems, including:
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Obesity
- Depression
- Impaired decision-making abilities
- Slowed reaction time
- Lowered concentration
- Increased irritability
- Impaired immunological functioning
- Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks, or remembering
- Significant negative impact on quality of life
Insomnia is considered chronic if a person has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for at least three nights per week for three months or more. Some people with chronic insomnia have a long history of difficulty sleeping.
Thankfully, my sleep issues are a side effect of menopause and sleep apnea, yet have not been a lifetime issue, which I know some people struggle with, such as a few close friends of mine have.
*Note: All content within this article is meant for informational purposes only and is in no way a replacement for professional medical or psychological advice or support. Seek immediate and appropriate care from a healthcare professional should you or a trusted loved one deem it necessary.
Natural Mood Enhancers for Depression
Natural mood enhancers for depression are abundant: spending time with friends or family, with our animals, creating or appreciating others’ artistic expressions, exercising, massage, caring for others, etc. The list can go on ad infinitum!
For example, when my sons were babies and toddlers, snuggle time with them literally cured any sadness or anxiety I might have been feeling at the time. I loved to smell their sweet little heads and hold them close. At least for me, that worked for a time – that is, until they became teenagers! Oh well, I can look forward to the time when I become a grandmother.
Parents magazine writes about why I felt so good smelling and snuggling my boys, “From a scientific standpoint, a baby’s scent is a mix of biological factors, like the protective vernix caseosa on their skin and their unique body chemistry. Smelling a baby during skin-to-skin contact helps trigger the release of oxytocin, or the “love hormone,” which promotes feelings of comfort and family bonding while lowering stress. On the other hand, it’s ingrained in our DNA as humans to enjoy the smell of babies, in order to better protect and care for them,”.
For a few friends and family members, I have witnessed that sometimes depression feels to them like a deep, dark, never-ending hole, seemingly inescapable and ever-present. Fortunately, there are many natural mood enhancers (non-prescription) to seek out, often used to bring light to an otherwise dismal situation.
Here are some suggestions regarding natural mood enhancers for depression to freely explore:
- Spend time in nature
- Connecting with friends and family
- Playing with pets
- Expressing creativity
- Engage in physical activities
- Receiving a massage by a masseuse or in one of Zarifa USA’s state-of-the-art massage chairs
- Get outside of yourself and help someone else
- Be curious; through curiosity, a world of possibilities will open
These activities can enhance mood by releasing endorphins and dopamine. These are the essential hormones necessary to experience pleasure. In fact, one activity that serves particularly well is physical exercise – movement.
Exercise releases endorphins and dopamine, mimicking a natural state of euphoria. Not only that, but it has also been shown to reduce symptoms of depression coupled with other therapeutic approaches such as massage.
Socializing can also be an effective way to enhance mood. The act of simply being around people who engage in positive activities enhances our mood by stimulating the parts of our brains that make us feel excited or pleased. Spending quality time with friends, playing sports, going out to eat, and attending events – all of these activities can bring about a sense of joy.
The power of creating something also provides a sense of accomplishment, elevates mood, and serves as a form of self-expression. Painting, sculpting, playing an instrument, writing, photography, cooking, and gardening are just some of the creative activities we can engage in to lift our spirits.
Massage and sleep research
Based on personal experience, I have found that massage not only helps repair muscles after a workout or address muscle injuries and tension, but also relaxes my muscles and my mind for a better night’s sleep.
The American Massage Therapy Association reports that, “A 30-minute back massage was given daily for a 5-day period to 52 hospitalized depressed and adjustment disorder children and adolescents. Compared with a control group who viewed relaxing videotapes, the massaged subjects were less depressed and anxious and had lower saliva cortisol levels after the massage. In addition, nurses rated the subjects as being less anxious and more cooperative on the last day of the study, and nighttime sleep increased over this period. Finally, urinary cortisol and norepinephrine levels decreased, but only for the depressed subjects,”.
Does insomnia cause weight gain
In conclusion, insomnia can contribute to weight gain and other health issues, highlighting the importance of addressing sleep problems for overall well-being.