How Getting Extra Sleep May Help You Eat Fewer Calories

The researchers recruited 80 obese adults between the ages of 21 and 40 who habitually sleep less than 6.5 hours a night.

Participants received a customized sleep hygiene counseling session. They slept in their bed and tracked their sleep on a wearable device.

They were not advised to maintain their normal routine and change their diet and exercise habits.

On average, researchers advised participants to increase their sleep by 1.2 hours to spend 8.5 hours in bed each night.

Their caloric intake and daily energy storage were measured by urine-based tests.

Compared to control participants, those who increased sleep reduced their caloric intake by an average of 270 kcal per day.

According to researchers, this amount could amount to a loss of £ 26 over three years.

This study is consistent with previous studies linking sleep deprivation with the confusion of appetite regulation and weight gain.

“Previous studies have shown that sleep loss leads to an increase. [in] Laboratory food intake and weight gain.In our study we showed it for the first time [a] In the true setting, prolonged sleep in individuals with less than 6.5 hours of habitual sleep reduces their objectively tracked caloric intake, “says Tasali.

Tasari said there could be several potential mechanisms that could explain why more sleep leads to lower calorie intake.

Sleep is known to affect appetite-regulating hormones.

“Sleep deprivation can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body and lower levels of the hormone leptin, which controls appetite,” said certified sleep coach and founder. Said Ryan Fiorown. StartSleeping.org..

When the body does not receive the signals it is accustomed to receiving in the normal sleep-wake cycle, it can be compensated in other ways and attempted to look for high-calorie foods, Fiorenzi added. ..

In addition, sleep affects factors in circadian rhythms that can affect people when they eat.

Restricting sleep has serious health consequences and can contribute to the development of a variety of health conditions, including obesity.

Fiorenzi has found several studies that have found a direct link between short sleep times and obesity, one of which is that people who sleep less than 6 hours a night sleep more than 7 hours a night. He said he found that he was more likely to be obese than humans. ..

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that good sleep, including weight loss, is essential for good health and well-being, and that sleep deprivation is a significant risk factor for weight gain and metabolic disorders,” Fiorenzi said. rice field.

A new study published at JAMA Internal Medicine found that getting more sleep each night can help promote weight loss.

Participants who slept 1.2 hours more each night reduced their caloric intake by an average of 270 kcal.

In three years, this could lead to a £ 26 savings, according to researchers.

This study shows increasing evidence that sleep is an important component of overall health and well-being.