Watch Your Sleep, Watch Your Weight

Ah, sweet sleep . We seem to get too little.
Now researchers are finding that too much or too little sleep could lead to
unhealthy weight gain .

Researchers at Laval University in Quebec looked at 276 people for six years
who were part of a larger Canadian study. 

Sleep duration was determined from a questionnaire and the participants were
classified into three groups: short sleepers slept five to six hours a night,
the average got seven to eight hours, and the long sleepers put in nine to 10
hours of sleep every night.

Some of the findings:

• Over six years, short sleepers were 35% more likely to gain 11 pounds than
  average-duration sleepers.


• Over the same time period, long sleepers were 25% more likely to gain 11
  pounds than average-duration sleepers.


• Short sleepers gained 58% more around their waists and 124% more body fat
  than the average sleeper.

Sleep Sweet Spot?

Researchers also think there might be an "optimal sleeping time" to
stay healthy.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults sleep between
seven and eight hours a night.

Study researcher Jean-Philippe Chaput of Laval University says in a news
release the findings provide "evidence that both short and long sleeping
times predict an increased risk of future body weight and fat gain in
adults."

Chaput adds that "these results emphasize the need to add sleep duration
to the list of environmental factors that are prevalent in our society that
contribute to weight gain and obesity ."

A Nation Deprived?

Study authors say people in the United States are losing sleep, with
Americans sleeping one and a half to two hours less a night than we did 40
years ago.

Previous studies have shown similar findings linking a lack of sleep to
creeping obesity. Researchers say this new study adds to a growing body of
evidence showing a sleep connection to weight gain involving fluctuating
hormone levels.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, nearly a third of
adults say they sleep less than six hours a night.

Dreams of Good Sleep

Here are some tips for getting good sleep from the American Academy of Sleep
Medicine:

• Follow a consistent bedtime routine.


• Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime.


• Get a full night's sleep every night.


• Avoid caffeine or any other stimulants before bedtime.


• Be worry-free at bedtime.


• Don't go to bed hungry, or too full.


• Avoid rigorous exercise within six hours of your
  bedtime.


• Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and a little cool.


• Get up at the same time every morning.

By Kelley Colihan
Reviewed by Louise Chang
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