It’s the number one New Year’s resolution: go on a diet. With weight issues being one of the most serious health concerns affecting people in the developed world, going on a diet is something that a lot of people aspire to. It’s not an easy task, however, and many people find their resolutions slipping by the wayside as the first few weeks of January roll by.
There is good news, however, taken from a new study that looked at the hormone changes associated with sleep deprivation. It turns out that getting enough sleep is good for your wellbeing, and can actually have an effect on your weight loss.
Published in the Sleep journal, the study highlighted differences between the hormonal effect on men and women of sleep deprivation and also looked at the effects of reduced sleep on eating patterns. It was carried out on 27 men and women aged between 30 and 45 who were of average weight and normally slept between seven and nine hours each night.
The study was carried out in two parts: in the first part, the group was given nine hours sleep per night and in the second part (carried out three weeks later), the group was only given four. A pre-controlled diet was provided for each of the participants for the first four days of the study and they were then allowed to eat whatever they liked on days five and six. Participants were not allowed to nap during the day. Blood was taken and analysed for hormones relating to food intake and appetite.
As a result, the study found that the greatest weight loss was achieved by the participants who were on a controlled diet and getting enough sleep (rather than shortened sleep). The body weights were reduced by between 0.4 and 2.2 pounds during the longer sleep phase of the study. This shows that, whilst we have always known that sleep is vital for wellness, it seems that it may also play an important role in weight loss too.
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