Can You Really Lose 50 Pounds Without Changing Your Eating Or Exercising Habits?

It’s true! And it all comes down to one habit you’ve probably resisted practicing (because we all do!): A regular sleep routine.

It's true! You may be able to turbocharge your weight-loss goals, burn more fat and build more lean muscle simply by making a minimum of eight hours of sleep a priority.

At least that's the opinion of Dr. Mark Hyman, who has a video on ihealthtube.com (http://www.ihealthtube.com/aspx/viewvideo.aspx?v=60333a089c96bf41). This is especially true if you already suffer from sleep apnea, a health condition characterized by interruptions in breathing during the night while sleeping.

How Do You Lose this Weight?

Simple. By finally making sleep a priority. Notice that no one has suggested that you can actually lose weight while you sleep. That's a whole different claim there!

Your sleep patterns, believe it or not, actually regulate the cycles of pulses of hormones produced and regulated. That means if you don't get the sleep, the proper hormones will never be produced in enough quantities to keep you healthy -- and in the proper weight range. Remember how what you eat can affect your insulin output. Lack of sleep can create the same imbalance and trigger abundances of hormones that in turn trigger weight gain.

Okay, I'm convinced …What's Next?

What's next? Commit yourself to making sleep a priority. And here are seven quick ways -- that require little explanation on how to implement them in your life. It's just that simple. Who would have thought it?

1. Get 8 hours of sleep a night.

Come hell or high water as some would say, you need your sleep. No excuses.

2. Decorate your bedroom in restful colors.

These would be light pastel colors. Imagine trying to sleep with neon orange walls in your bedroom. Just might not be the perfect environment!

3. Avoid caffeine later in the day.

Only you'll be able to tell just when your cut off time during the time is for caffeine intake. But rest assured -- we all have one. And this is even more apparent the older we get. (Or perhaps we just didn't mind staying up late when we were younger, who knows?)

4. At least expose yourself to 20 minutes of sun daily!

Doing this triggers the production of a substance called melatonin. And when you have an abundance of this in your body, you're helping your body prepare for sleep that evening! Of course, the reverse is also true. If you notice you're having trouble sleeping at night, try getting outside -- even sitting! -- to produce more melatonin.

5. Don't eat three hours before bedtime.

Experts have been telling us that one for years. When will we listen?

6. Don't exercise three hours before bedtime.

Here's another classic piece of advice. In our time-crunched world, these are tough pieces of advice to follow always!

7. Warm your "core" before you go to sleep.

Whether you take a warm bath, shower or use some form of heating pad, sleeping will come easier and be more sound if you jump into bed with some type of warmth!

Now this isn't meant -- by any stretch of the imagination -- to be a conclusive checklist of "to dos" before bedtime. But it will certainly get you on the road to a restful sleep and perhaps a jumpstart on your fat burning, muscle building goals again.

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