More than six hours of sleep will help you control your weight. Research finds a strong link between obesity and less than six hours of sleep.
The link between sleep and obesity is strong and significant. But it may surprise you to know that slim people sleep more, not less than obese people. Researchers found that those who get only six hours of sleep a night are 23% more likely to be substantially overweight. People sleeping just five hours a night were 50% more likely to be overweight.
Why? Studies have shown that leptin levels decrease and grehlin levels increase in people who are sleep-deprived, leading to increased appetite and consumption.
This tendency may have helped early human survival, encouraging heavy eating during warm months when darkness hours were short and food was plentiful.
It appears that proper sleep not only keeps us happy but keeps us at a healthy weight too.
Source: AARP The Magazine, January & February, 2007 and NAASO article, November, 2004
