Want to Lose Weight? Sleep More!

ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP?

Latest study confirms 7-8 hours/ night is the magic number.
There’s new evidence that too little sleep leads to weight gain.

Watch the play of the hormones ... From article called “Lack of Sleep Can Pack on the Pounds,” by Alan Mozes, HealthDay

Researchers are finding incontrovertible evidence that too little sleep leads to obesity.

Too little sleep, levels of the hormone leptin DECREASE. This hormone makes us feel satiated (not hungry).

At the same time, levels of the hormone ghrelin, which sparks hunger, INCREASE -- prompting cravings for candy, cookies and cake.

Too little sleep, and the hormonal and metabolic profiles begin to resemble people who are pre-diabetic, while bringing about autonomic changes that can be related to the development of cardiovascular disease.

How are we sleeping?

· 70+% of adults over the age of 18 get less than eight hours of sleep a night on weekdays –
· 40% get less than seven hours.
· Adults between the ages of 18 and 54 sleep just 6.7 hours a night during the week, and seven hours a night on weekends.
· Adults aged 55 to 84 -- 13 percent sleep less than six hours a night during the week, while 11 percent have a similar sleep pattern on weekends.

"Between seven and eight hours seems to be a fairly magical number for sleep duration," said Dr. Phyllis Zee. "People who report, on average, getting between seven and eight hours of sleep are the ones who appear to have the lowest risk" of weight gain.

To read the whole article, go HERE.
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