Sleep More, Weigh Less?

This information comes straight out of a newsletter that I receive from Loma Linda University Medical Center (May-June 2008).  I found the article very interesting and informative; I hope you do as well.

Sleep More, Weigh Less?

"Americans are weighing more and sleeping less.  Is this a coincidence?  To find out, researchers asked 68,183 middle-aged nurses how long they slept in a 24-hour period.  They then asked them about their weight every two years for 16 years.  Those with a shorter sleep duration gained more weight than those who slept seven hours per night.  This was true even after taking diet and physical activity into account.  The biggest risk for weight gain was among women who slept five or fewer hours per night.  They gained about two pounds more than seven-hour sleepers and were 28 percent more likely to have a 33-pound weight increase.”

So if we follow what the study indicates, then those of us who get “a good nights rest” of 7 hours will be less likely to gain weight over time and have the added benefit of feeling rested during the day.  I don’t know about you, but that sounds great… I’m off to test the theory now.