Less Sleep Means More Weight
Sleeping less should make you lose weight—right? Unless, of course, you are eating instead of sleeping. Well it turns out that, on average, people who sleep less weigh more than people who sleep the recommended seven to nine hours per night.
A report in ScienceDaily concerned a study of almost 70,000 women over a sixteen year period. It found that the women who slept 5 hours or less were 32% more likely to experience significant weight-gain over the 16-year period. Research at the Warwick Medical School involving 15,000 adults and 28,000 children found that those who slept less than the recommended amount had a 50% greater incidence of obesity.
What’s the Connection Between Weight Gain and Sleep?
Doctors looked at other factors such as exercise but couldn’t find a definite cause. They surmised that the reduced sleep produced a chronic tiredness which reduced overall physical activity and may have suppressed the metabolic rate. Exercise is important for maintaining an elevated metabolic rate so that the body actually burns calories while resting. However a sedentary person may have a lower metabolic rate while resting or even during activity when compared to an active and well-rested person.
Doctor Cappuccino of the Warwick Medical School suggested that loss of sleep produces hormone changes in the brain that stimulates the appetite.
How To Get a Better Night’s Sleep
There are several articles on LesTout for getting a better night’s sleep:
- Get a Good Night’s Sleep
- Chasing After a Good Night’s Sleep
- Are You Getting Enough Sleep?
- Stress Contributes to Aging
- Are Nightmares Keeping You Awake
- The Path to Quick Weight Loss
- Keep Your Metabolism Revved Up
Summary
Lack of sleep and weight gain can be a dangerous spiral with each one leading to the other. Obesity leads to several other diseases that can further limit a person’s ability or will to exercise. If someone is not sleeping, they really must find a solution quickly.
