Study Links Sleep Deprivation, Obesity

[chiburb]

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer

LAS VEGAS - Weight-loss experts have a novel prescription for people who want to shed pounds: Get some sleep.


A very large study has found a surprisingly strong link between the amount of shut-eye people get and their risk of becoming obese.


Those who got less than four hours of sleep a night were 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who got the recommended seven to nine hours of rest, scientists discovered. Those who averaged five hours of sleep had 50 percent greater risk, and those who got six hours had 23 percent more.


"Maybe there's a window of opportunity for helping people sleep more, and maybe that would help their weight," said Dr. Steven Heymsfield of Columbia University and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=6&u=/ap/20041116/ap_on_he_me/fit_sleep_off_fat

[cavanaghjam]

1. Maybe it's just

when you're sleeping you're not eating. Usually.

[MrUnderhill]

2. I think they've got the cause and effect mixed up.

Fat people snore more (and more loudly)...

...which causes them to get less sleep (and to sleep less soundly).


They either wake themselves up, or their spouse jabs them in the ribs.

[gollygee]

3. Maybe the same problem is causing both weight gain and sleeplessness

Like depression or something

[FuzzySlippers]

4. That seems backwards to me

because when I don't get enough sleep, I LOSE my appetite. When I've had enough I can eat everything within a 10 mile radius.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. I saw this in a parenting magazine just yesterday with regard to

children. It said that children who get less than 8 hours of sleep a night are at a higher risk for obesity. I do begin to believe that these scientists can link just about anything though...if they try hard enough. :hi:

[chiburb]

7. It's probably true:

For instance, in a Japanese study of six-and seven-year olds, children who slept nine to ten hours a night were compared to those who only slept eight to nine hours. The latter group was almost twice as likely to be overweight. Children sleeping less than eight hours a night were almost three times as likely to be overweight.

http://www.prohealthnetwork.com/library/bulletinarticle.cfm?ID=2019&PROD=n0242

[chiburb]

6. More to it:

Do you need to lose weight? Then, turn off the television or computer an hour earlier and go to bed. We’re sleeping too little, experts warn. Too much sitting instead of being active is clearly part of why overweight is now common. But studies suggest that a lack of sleep may make weight loss and weight control more of a challenge by altering our metabolism, as well as our eating and activity patterns.

Changes in hormone levels have been linked to sleep deprivation in several studies. One hormone, cortisol, regulates metabolism of sugar, protein, fat, minerals and water. Physical or emotional stress raises cortisol levels. Lack of sleep may also raise levels at certain times of the day.

Second, higher levels of insulin, a condition known as insulin resistance, have also been linked to a shortage of sleep in several studies. Excess cortisol could be the link. Since insulin not only controls blood sugar, but also promotes fat storage, extra insulin makes weight loss more difficult.

[Emillereid]

8. A good book on the importance of sleep -- and its connection

to health is TS Wiley's book "Lights Out"

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. Where does one find energy to exercise

when one doesn't get enough sleep?