The University of Pennsylvania conducted a study in a sleep lab and found that people who are sleep deprived eat more and gain more weight than those who get sufficient sleep.
The study lasted 5 days with two groups of people. The sleep deprived group was kept up until 4 am each day and was only allowed 4 hours of sleep. There was also a control group which was allowed a good night’s sleep. The only difference between the two groups was sleep. They lived in a sleep study suite and had the same access to the kitchen and food.
Researchers found that the sleep deprived group ate additional calories between 10pm and 4am, when the other group was sleeping soundly. On average, they ate about 550 additional calories during that time. The calories eaten were also higher in fat compared to calories eaten at other times during the day.
Doctors believe the reason for late night overeating has to do with hormonal changes that occur when a person is sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation causes an increase in ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite and hunger, and a decrease in leptin, a hormone that gives satiety or helps you feel full.
If you want to loose weight, you need to get adequate sleep, at least 7-8 hours per night. Everyone is different and finding the right amount of sleep for you body may take a little experimentation. If you can wake up in the morning, feeling rested, without an alarm clock — you’ve found the right amount of sleep for your body.
If there are times when you can’t get the sleep your body requires (sick kid up at night, vacation, travel, deadlines at work or school), keep yourself aware of your food cravings. Remind yourself that you are having these cravings, not because your hungry, but because your hormones are out of whack. Try to choose a better option if you must have something — instead of cookies, chips or ice cream, try to opt for a mug of tea with whole wheat bread and nut butter or greek yogurt with fresh fruit or hummus with veggies and crackers. Whatever the snack, make sure you watch your portion sizes.
Brought to you by our friends at Optimal Body Balance.
