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Growth hormone (GH), a microscopic protein substance, is produced in the anterior section of the pituitary gland deep in the brain. It is a tissue-building hormone that causes growth, enacts repairs, mobilizes fat stores, and shifts the metabolism into high gear in the presence of amino acids. Chemically, it is somewhat similar to insulin, and is secreted in short pulses during the first hours of sleep and after exercise, but it remains in circulation for only a few minutes. The body binds most of the GH in the liver and converts some of it into another protein hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Although IGF-1 is not insulin, it acts like insulin as it promotes glucose transfer through cell membranes into the cell. More important, IGF-1 elicits most of the effects associated with GH.

GH is responsible for the development of lean body mass, bone density, and an efficient metabolism that diminishes the body's fat-storing capacity. During deep sleep, there is an increased secretion of GH. This is necessary for repairing and rebuilding body tissues such as muscle and bone. It also helps combat the negative effects of cortisol. Losing sleep, especially deep sleep, decreases GH levels. Since GH helps regulate the body's proportions of fat and muscle, less GH reduces our ability to lose fat and develop muscle. Muscle development is important for weight loss in that it is responsible for burning more calories, even at a resting heart rate. (Be aware that if a woman is testosterone-deficient, she will not be able to build muscle mass no matter how much she works out. Testosterone production relies on adequate levels of the hormone progesterone, as well as of cholesterol.)

GH secretion follows a circadian rhythm and occurs in six to twelve pulses per day, with the largest pulse secreted about an hour or two after the onset of deep sleep - Stages 3 and 4. If we don't get to the deep-sleep stage, we end up sabotaging our body's capacity to repair and renew tissues and cells. And unless we get to that sound-sleep zone, our bodies will not be releasing GH efficiently. This can be a frustrating scenario because low GH can cause people to be light sleepers.

GH has been shown to decline with age, but now some scientists say age is not the factor that inhibits the body's release of GH. It's the physiological changes that accompany aging that are responsible for it - changes such as weight gain, obesity, high blood sugar levels, and high levels of free fatty acids in the blood. All these factors are to a large extent controllable by getting adequate sleep, nutrition, and exercise - which means that there is a lot we can do now to stimulate the body's release of GH. For example, a workout that is strenuous enough to create muscle exhaustion releases GH.

The exercise must be at the right level of intensity - not so high that it causes injury and suppresses the body's release of the hormone (marathoners, for example, show decreased levels of GH), yet strong and resistant enough to bring about fat loss and metabolic efficiency. When muscles contract and relax during multiple sets of resistance exercises, the body is stimulated to produce significant levels of GH to repair and renew the tissues. The diet recommended for reversing insulin and leptin resistance is also the diet that is key to improving release of GH. And getting adequate, deep sleep is imperative, which the entire Sleep Away the Pounds Program is dedicated to helping you achieve.

Sleep: A Missing Link to Weight Loss

Beyond your being bleary-eyed, clutching a latte, and dozing off at afternoon meetings, failing to get enough sleep or sleeping at odd hours heightens your chance for weight gain and a variety of illnesses.

Now that you know about the sleep research and how a loss of sleep can give you a major case of the munchies, why not try a little experiment? The next time you have to be up late or get up extra early, and you end up sleep-deprived by a few hours, take note of your appetite. Do you want to eat more food? What foods do you choose? Are you ready to grab the first bag of chips or candy bar in sight? We think you'll be amazed as you discover just how much sleep affects your appetite.

In the following chapter, you will be presented with the tools you need to revamp your nightlife so you can get your best sleep, starting today. This is the first and most important step in your weight loss plan. Learning and exploring these relatively simple techniques is your ticket to a slimmer you.

Copyright © 2007 by Cherie Calbom and John Calbom

About the Author

Cherie Calbom is known to millions of fans as "The Juice Lady," and her infomercials are world-renowned. A registered nutritionist, Cherie Calbom has become one of America's foremost celebrity experts on "drinking your vitamins." Her previous books, Juicing for High Level Wellness and Vibrant Good Looks (Crown, 1999), and Juice Lady's Guide to Juicing for Life (Avery, 1992).

About the Author

John Calbom, MA, is director of Trinity Retreat House and vice president of Trinity Wellness Institute. He is a behavioral medicine specialist, organizational development consultant, Eastern Orthodox priest, and coauthor of The Complete Cancer Cleanse.