Hello Everybody,
Scientists say the more you sleep the less weight you put on. Now could this be the holy grail for those who want to avoid weight gain while eating junk food and getting no exercise? Sadly not, but it is well worth pursuing.
Research, carried out by Assistant Professor of Medicine Sanjay Patel and others at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, shows that women who slept 5 hours a night were 32 percent more likely to experience major weight gain and 15 percent more likely to become obese compared with women who slept 7 hours a night. Even sleeping 6 hours a night still produced a 12 percent increase in major weight gain and a 6 percent increase in obesity compared with women who slept 7 hours a night.
The study was over 16 years so it had a long timescale, but the trend was there.
What are the reasons. Of course some of us with simple minds would argue that those who slept for shorter periods had longer waking time in which to eat. But we are told that this, and exercise levels, were considered and the research still holds good. So it is more complicated than at first appears.
One answer is the hormones leptin and ghrelin which control how full and hungry you feel. When you do not get enough sleep this decreases leptin levels, which means you feel less satisfied after eating. Ghrelin levels rise and you want more food. Put the two together and you over-eat and gain weight.
Lack of sleep can cause a number of problems as well as weight gain. It can make it difficult for the body to metabolize carbohydrates, causing higher insulin levels and greater body fat storage. Insulin resistance can also occur increasing the risk of diabetes. Then we have possible increases in blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.
Not sleeping can cause more harm than just feeling tired in the morning. But if you have difficulty getting to sleep, rather than just a tendency to stay up too late, it does not help to be told that insomnia is bad for you. You know that already.
You can, of course, get sleeping pills from your doctor - you must decide if extra sleep is worth feeling terrible in the morning. Try setting up a routine. Half an hour’s walk before bedtime is good for your fitness program as well as unwinding after the stress of the day. Have a warm drink and read a book, . Never, ever, have a TV in the bedroom. You could try sleeping alone - okay, not every night, but it might work.
However you achieve it, if you are able to achieve it, 7 hour’s sleep is the best way of staying healthy and avoiding weight gain. You may not lose a pound a night, but it will help keep you slim long term and there are a lot of other benefits as well.
See you soon,
Peter Stockwell
26 July 2010
Photo. Madrussianphotography (Flickr)
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