Of the many measures that can be taken to lose weight – dieting, exercise, fasting – sleep regulation seems most unlikely. However, according to a study published on the National Library of Medicine, there is a bidirectional link between lack of proper sleep and weight gain.
How sleep affects weight
The study was conducted by Evangelia Papatriantafyllou, Dimitris Efthymiou, Evangelos Zoumbaneas, Codruta Alina Popescu, and Emilia Vassilopoulou. It looked at how the lack of enough good quality sleep affects eating habits, metabolism, hormonal balance, and weight loss measures.
The study showed, in essence, that disturbed sleeping patterns led to issues like increased calorie intake, as the sleep-deprived individuals were more prone to snacking. The research also discovered that, unsurprisingly, better sleep quality and more sleep duration helped people lose weight.
In fact, the study found that there is a reciprocal relationship between weight loss and sleep.
“Sleep restriction increases hunger and appetite by altering metabolic and endocrine function; glucose and insulin sensitivity decreases and the evening levels of cortisol and ghrelin increase, while leptin decreases,” the study explained. This simply means that a lack of enough sleep induces more hunger and craving for unhealthy foods.
Benefits of good sleep
A good sleep is not just about getting some rest; it is essential for a person’s overall health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website, the benefits of good sleep include a reduction in stress, improvement in heart health, better metabolic rate, a lower risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, and improvement in memory and attention.
The amount of sleep required varies with a person’s age. Newborns need to sleep 14-17 hours in the first three months of their life. The amount of sleep needed then goes on decreasing till a person becomes an adult. After the age of 18, at least seven hours of sleep is needed.
Some of the tips the CDC website gives for improving your sleep quality include having a regular bedtime, keeping the bedroom free from noise, maintaining a cooler temperature there, avoiding electronic devices for 30 minutes before your bedtime, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and having a healthy meal.
Once such things are taken care of, you can let your body relax and enjoy a night of sound sleep. It would ensure a fresh and reinvigorated start to your day.
