You have probably heard it before, but you might not have believed it – you can lose weight while you sleep. New research suggests that there is in fact a relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the quality and quantity of sleep. That is great news for those of us who love to hit the snooze button at least few times in the morning (and for those of us that wouldn’t mind losing a few extra pounds).
It turns out that a good night’s sleep is a factor in controlling the body’s production of two specific hormones responsible for our eating behavior: Ghrelin – the hunger hormone and Leptin – a regulating hormone that tells our brain when it is time to stop eating.
In a study of 1,024 people aged 30 to 60 years old, those who slept only three hours a night had a 5% increase in body weight over 15 years, according to thedietchannel.com.That’s because sleep depravation results in increased levels of ghrelin which in turn makes our body feel hungry and decreases the levels of leptin, depriving us from a feeling of fullness. The result is simple: Overeating.
To keep both hormones at their proper levels, one must make sure not only to get a good quality of sleep but also the hours that our body needs to rejuvenate That’s usually 7 to 9hours depending on an individual.
So is losing weight as simple as getting enough sleep? No, but when combined with a healthy diet and exercise, sleep is a very important and often overlooked component of losing weight.
To find out more about sleep and weight loss click on the link below.
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/lack-of-sleep-weight-gain
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By Agnieszka
-- Important: The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.