HOW IT WORKS

Losing weight as you sleep sounds like a dream, but according to US sleep expert Dr Michael Breus, good-quality sleep can help boost your metabolism, fire up the fat-burning process and reduce cravings, so you don’t feel as hungry while you’re awake. Follow our plan and you could lose 5lb – and get your glow on!

1 Forget counting calories and workouts… it seems that all you need to successfully lose weight this spring, as well as combating cravings, is to get between seven and nine hours of good-quality sleep a night.

2 Dr Breus, author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan, explains that the hormonal changes, stress and tiredness that come with poor or insufficient sleep all contribute to weight gain.

3 His research, like other studies, shows that good, regular sleep can cut the amount of sugar-loaded carbs you eat by up to 45 per cent each day and keep the hormones that control feelings of fullness or hunger in balance, so that you’re less likely to overeat.

4 Eating the right foods during the day will promote good rest. Turkey, milk, tuna, beans, dark green vegetables, oats and cherries all contain tryptophan, an enzyme that promotes serotonin, needed for restful sleep.

5 Go to bed at a regular time each evening and get up at a similar time every day, too. It’s easier now the mornings are getting lighter, and you’ll find that having your body clock set to a routine will prevent night-waking.

6 Follow our plan for days and you could lose 5lb, while looking fresher and younger!