Snooze Your Way to Weight Loss
It sounds unbelievable, but getting a good night's appears to benefit your waistline.
Researchers in Canada followed the sleep habits of 740 people for 10 years. They found that women who got just six to seven hours of sleep each night were 11 pounds heavier than those who slept seven to eight hours (men were 16 1/2 pounds heavier). Sleep apparently boosts levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses hunger. Blood tests done on study participants revealed those who slept less had levels of leptin 80 percent lower than those who got a full night's rest.
According to Jean-Philippe Chaput, a doctoral candidate in the division of kinesiology at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, who conducted the study, there may be an "ideal sleep zone" that facilitates body weight regulation. "...[This research] raises the possibility that lack of sleep may be an unrecognized and potentially modifiable risk factor for obesity," explains Chaput. "Getting the optimal amount of sleep, along with modifications to diet and exercise may become an integral prevention and treatment strategy for weight management."
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Orfeu Buxton, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School agrees: "It seems as if the body responds to sleep restriction by craving more fuel, a reduced energy balance, and this is communicated by the fat cells, actually. Leptin is a molecule secreted by fat cells and conveys a satiety signal, 'There's enough fuel on board.' And with sleep restriction, keeping the level of activity and the amount of calories constant, the body says, 'I need more food.' And this is inappropriate and may lead to overeating and potentially obesity in the long term."
A word of caution: The key is getting an "optimal amount of sleep," as too much sleep can have an ill effect on your health.
