Insomnia and obesity are two “phenomena” on the rise. The prevalence of these modern scourges in adult USA population falls in the range between 30-35%. It may be a coincidence, but there is actually a connection between them.
There’s good reason to believe that these “appearances” interconnected. Sleep deprivation can easily cause weight gain. Insufficient sleep at night is connected to increased daytime cortisol levels and poor blood glucose regulation. Increased blood sugar levels lead to insulin overproduction and subsequent insulin resistance. The starting point of obesity is in fact a majority of cases. High levels of stress hormone called cortisol increases visceral fat.
On the other hand, obesity precipitates many health problems that prevent us from getting enough sleep. Insomnia is a common side effect of medications that people take for obesity-related disorders like cholesterol and high blood pressure.
It’s a vicious cycle.
Have you tried natural remedies that can easily tackle these two problems in one stroke?
It’s time to shake some sleepy overnight weight loss drink recipes.
They help you “find the dream”. And while you sleep, this overnight weight loss drink recipes can also fire up your metabolism to burn fat. They are magical, right? These drinks have only a few ingredients, so we can rapidly prepare them and drink up. Last, the taste is good so one we make them, we will drink them every night, and maybe during the day too.
Psyllium and Apple juice Overnight Weight loss Drink
People use Psyllium as a natural laxative. It is actually a seed of a plant which is related to the common garden plantain. It can help in the process of weight loss in a lot of ways. The husk has no discernible smell or taste. What makes it special is that it rapidly can absorb large amounts of water and swells up to form a slimy gel.
Apple juice makes the drink naturally sweet and very tasty. With a sprinkling of cinnamon, you get the feeling of drinking an apple pie, but without all those “unwilling” calories and bad stuff in it.
This overnight weight loss drink is really easy to prepare.
You need:
- 1 Apple
- A cup cold water
- 2 tsp pure, 100% “clean” psyllium husk/powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
Chop the apple with the skin on and blend it with water until smooth. Pour into a big cup and stir in cinnamon powder and psyllium husk. Drink this overnight weight loss drink immediately, otherwise, the husk will thicken the drink. After that, take a glass of plain water.
What it does:
Psyllium – The mucilage in the husk helps the food move faster and effortlessly in the digestive system. It actually reduces fat absorption from the intestine. It provides a feeling of fullness and you don’t feel like having snack.
Apple – People avoid taking fruits in the latter part of the day because the sugar can easily become fat. But if we take an apple with psyllium which has a power to reduce absorption of nutrients, it shouldn’t do any harm at all. The pectin in the apple can further limit the absorption of fat from the guts, while the antioxidants in the fruit, especially quercetin, can help reduce oxidative damage and associated inflammation.
Cinnamon – Regulates blood sugar. Cinnamon helps to reduce the process of conversion of sugar into fat and its storage in the adipose tissue. The nighttime dose spices up your metabolism and increases fat burn when the body is at its lowest energy requirement.
Caution: Psyllium may actually reduce the absorption of nutrients in foods and medications. So, avoid drinking it within 2 hours of taking meals or drugs.
Aloe Vera – Cherry Overnight Weight Loss Drink
We don’t need an introduction for Aloe Vera. The clear gel that we obtain from its fleshy leaves is widely used externally for treating general skin care. Lately, it has become popular as a food supplement too, thanks to its health benefits, including weight loss. The fresh gel of the leaves is odorless, colorless. It tastes sour and bitter in same time. It is the ideal to consume, but not everyone has access to fresh leaves. Commercial products often have bad smell and taste, making it really difficult and impossible to enjoy as a bedtime drink.
You need:
- 2-4 oz. Tart cherry juice
- 1 oz. Aloe Vera juice
- Cold water
Mix the Aloe Vera juice and cherry juice in an 8-oz. glass and top it up with cold water. Mix well and enjoy in one of the best sleepy drinks.
What it does:
Tart cherry juice – It reduces daytime napping but improves the duration and quality of nighttime sleep. It increases in melatonin, which is the hormone regulating sleep-wake cycle. Tart cherry juice is anti-inflammatory too, so it helps reduce water retention.
Aloe Vera Gel – It has the potential to reduce fat deposits in the body, especially the area of abdominal fat. Laboratory studies and clinical studies in prediabetic and obese diabetic patients support this observation.
Caution: If the drink gives you abdominal heavy feeling or cramps, it can be due to too much of the component aloin in Aloe Vera product. The exterior skin of its leaves contains “aloin”, which provides bitterness to the gel. It is a laxative and has undesirable side effects. If the Aloe Vera gel product is too repulsive, try different brands until you “meet” the one that actually suits you. This plant grows well with minimal care in warm regions so maybe you can consider of growing one by yourself. You can try growing it in large containers with proper winter protection.
Ginger – Lemon Sleepy Drink
It is the most popular and favorite weight loss drink. The drink is light and very refreshing. Have a generous stock of all the ingredients; it is excellent drink to have in the morning and later in the day too.
You need:
- 5-10 slices of cucumber with skin (or a full cucumber if you like a thick drink)
- 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
- 6 oz. water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- A pinch of Himalayan/pink salt (optional)
Blend cucumber and grated ginger with water until smooth. Stir in the juice of one lemon and the salt, if using.
How it works:
Cucumber – It is a low-calorie vegetable with very high fiber content. The soluble fiber in cucumber binds with the fatty acids resulting from the digestion of the fats in our food and quickly carries them away. This reduces the total fat intake from the digestive tract.
Ginger – Ginger is a digestive aid. This ingredient reduces gas formation, relieving stomach discomfort and heartburn. It also increases metabolic rate, directly helping fat burn. It is anti-inflammatory as well and helps reduce water retention.
Lemon juice – It is an excellent detoxifier. Although the juice contains high amounts of citric acid, it has an alkalizing effect on the body when fully digested and assimilated.
One of the Best Overnight Weight Loss Drink Recipes – Nutmeg and Warm milk
In the past, a glass of warm milk at night was the number one of sleepy drinks list. But nowadays, people view all dairy products with suspicion. Regular consumption of milk does not cause weight gain. It may actually help in the process of weight loss. Honey not only gives sweetness to milk, and nutmeg provides the right amount of spiciness.
You need:
- 1-2 tsp honey
- 1 cup milk –full-fat organic milk from pastured cows
- A pinch of freshly nutmeg – grated (not more than 1/8 of a teaspoon)
Heat the milk and then leave it to cool to the temperature you can handle. Mix in the grated nutmeg and honey, and drink it immediately.
What it does:
Milk – The essential amino acid tryptophan in milk is credited with inducing sleep. Calcium and Vitamin D in the milk could contribute to weight loss as well. We know that deficiency of these nutrients can cause weight gain.
Honey – Tryptophan requires an indirect assistance of carbohydrates to enter the brain. Honey comes with its role here. This essential amino acid normally has to compete with other amino acids in the food to get an entry into the brain. But when carbohydrates are present, insulin gets released. This hormone then diverts the other amino acids to muscles, giving tryptophan-free to access to the brain. Unlike simple sugars that cause an insulin spike that results in a crash later on, the complex sugars in honey ensures a sustained supply.
Nutmeg – It has a mild sedative effect that puts you in the mood for sleep. At the same time, this hot spice has a thermogenic effect that helps fire up your metabolism for burning extra fat during your sleep.
Caution: You should use nutmeg in very small quantities to get the beneficial effects. Don’t assume that if a little is good, a lot will be better.
Via: WomanAndHome
