Sleeping Away the Pounds

You might have heard that sleep is connected to body weight before, but is it true? And if so, how are they connected? There is obviously several different opinions, but it is hard to dispute the fact that getting an adequate amount of sleep is associated with having a more ideal body weight.

Sleep messes with all sorts of things...mainly hormones. And, guess what, your appetite is ran by hormones - 2 in particular: leptin and ghrelin. They work in a "checks & balances" system that helps control your hunger and feeling of fullness. (The way I remember which one is which is when I see the word "ghrelin" I think gremlin and that is what I act like when I'm hungry:)

It has been found that when you don't get enough sleep, your leptin levels are decreased, meaning you feel less satisfied, and your ghrelin levels increase, stimulating appetite.

If this becomes a continuous cycle....imagine how that could affect your weight!

A study recently conducted at Stanford in partnership with University of Wisconsin uncovered a correlation that can't be ignored. They had over 1,000 volunteers. They reported how many hours they slept a night and then their leptin and ghrelin levels were measured along with their weight. What do you think they found?

Those who slept less than 8 hours a night had lower levels of leptin, higher levels of ghrelin, and higher levels of body fat. Even more astonishing, there was a direct correlation between hours slept and body weight, meaning those who slept the least were the heaviest.

What you should take from this is that you can't lose! Even if this connection turns out to be due to some viral infection, for now, it's probably a good idea to get an extra hour of shut eye! If you are going to the trouble in all other areas of your life to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, why not just try getting in bed a few minutes earlier?!!

Happy sleeping!!

SOURCES: David Rapoport, MD, associate professor and director of the Sleep Medicine Program, NYU School of Medicine, New York City. Michael Breus, PhD, Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine; clinical director of The Sleep Disorder Centers of Southeastern Lung Care, Atlanta. Dominic Roca, MD, director of the Connecticut Center for Sleep Medicine, Stamford Hospital. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2004; vol 141: pp 846-850. PLOS Medicine, December 2004; vol 1. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism; vol 89: pp 5762-5771. American Journal of Physiology -- Heart and Circulatory Physiology, July 2000; vol 279: pp H234-H237.