To Your Health
March, 2022 (Vol. 16, Issue 03) |
|
|
Lose Weight by Sleeping More
By Editorial Staff
Could the key to losing weight be as simple as increasing your nightly sleep? It's not nearly as far fetched as it seems. In fact, new research makes a strong connection. Even more encouraging, depending on your current sleep habits, it might not take a major change on your part to jump-start your weight-loss efforts ... and reap the health and wellness benefits of more sleep.
Researchers evaluated adults ages 21-40 with a body-mass index (BMI) that classified them as overweight (25.0-29.9) and average sleep duration of fewer than 6.5 hours per night. Study participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups for comparison: a sleep counseling group or a usual sleep group. Members of the first group received individualized sleep counseling designed to increase their nightly sleep to 8.5 hours; members of the second group served as controls and received no such instruction / counseling to extend their nightly sleep. Other weight-loss interventions were not advised or instructed during the study period, meaning all participants continued their daily activities (no prescribed diet or exercise).
Findings, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, suggest that among the 80 participants, sleep duration increased by approximately 1.2 hours per participant in the sleep group vs. the control group during the four-week study. This sleep difference corresponded to a significant decrease in daily energy intake and a negative energy balance (more energy expended than consumed; i.e., weight loss) in the sleep group.
Loyal readers of To Your Health appreciate the significant benefits of maintaining a healthy weight and ensuring adequate nightly sleep, particularly over time. After all, we've reported on both in numerous articles over the years. As this study suggests, improving your sleep habits may help your weight-loss efforts – a win-win for your health and wellness!
