Whys is your metabolism slow?

You may feel tired, cold or that you’ve gained weight. Maybe your digestion seems a bit more “sluggish”.

Metabolism includes all of the biochemical reactions in your body that use nutrients and oxygen to create energy. And there are lots of factors that affect how quickly (or slowly) it works, i.e. your “metabolic rate” (which is measured in calories).

But don’t worry – we know that metabolic rate is much more complicated than the old adage “calories in, calories out”!

In fact, it’s so complicated I’m only going to list a few of the common things that can slow it down.

Examples of common reasons why metabolic rates can slow down:

• Low thyroid hormones Your thyroid is the master controller of your metabolism. When it produces fewer hormones your metabolism slows down.
  

• History of dieting When people lose weight their metabolic rate often slows down. This is because the body senses that food may be scarce and adapts by trying to continue with all the necessary life functions and do it all with less food.
  

• Size and body composition In general, larger people have faster metabolic rates. This is because it takes more energy to fuel a larger body than a smaller one.
  

• Activity level Aerobic exercise temporarily increases your metabolic rate. Your muscles are burning fuel to move and do “work” and you can tell because you’re also getting hotter.
  

• Lack of sleep There is plenty of research that shows the influence that sleep has on your metabolic rate. If you're getting less than 7-8 hours of quality sleep, your metabolism will be affected.