GETTING ENOUGH sleep makes it easier to eat well and lose weight and also may improve cholesterol and blood-sugar levels.
It's not clear how exactly sleep affects the brain and appetite levels, but the research is tantalizing. And getting more sleep sounds so much nicer than dieting!
In one recent study, truck drivers and dock workers who got enough sleep to feel rested ate better without trying. They ate more fruits and vegetables and had fewer sugary drinks and sugary snacks, according to research published in the American Journal of Public Health this month.
This is the latest in a string of intriguing studies on sleep and appetite.
Obviously, exercise and portions affect weight too. But the sleep research is especially relevant as more Americans are heavy than before, and Americans in general are sleeping less.
SLEEP MORE, EAT LESS
In the 1960s, Americans slept 8.5 hours a night; by the turn of this century, we had dropped to only 7 hours a night. Researchers say 7 to 9 hours are optimal, but many Americans get less than that each night.
Why does it matter?
One study showed that restricting sleep caused increased appetite all the next day, as well as changes in appetite hormones such as ghrelin and leptin.
Middle-age Chicagoans who were limited to 5.5 hours of shut-eye ate 200 more calories worth of snacks than those allowed to sleep 8.5 hours, in one research project.
And a study of Greek women showed that for every hour of sleep lost, women had about 3 percent more body fat. In other words, women who averaged 6 hours of sleep nightly had 3 percent more body fat that those who averaged 7 hours' sleep.
Sleeping too much or too little also was linked to weight gain in Canadian adults during a 6-year study. Folks who slept 6 hours or less--and those who slept 9 or more hours--gained 3 to 4 pounds.
Along with weight gain, there are other effects of not getting enough sleep.
Studies of both healthy young men and middle-aged adults have shown that restricting sleep increased their blood sugar levels.
We also know that folks with sleep apnea, characterized by snoring at night and daytime sleepiness, have higher rates of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Losing weight can ease sleep apnea. In severely obese people, even a modest 10 percent weight loss significantly helped their symptoms, according to Colorado researchers.
The risks apply to children, too. Insufficient sleep on weekdays was linked to overweight in a study of New Zealand children.
GET INTO A ROUTINE
There are a few eating tricks to help sleep more soundly.
There's conflicting research on the old saw that tryptophan in turkey and warm milk help sleep--some scientists argue that the sleep-inducing effect is cancelled out by high protein levels in those foods.
And while I enjoy drinking chamomile tea in the evening, there isn't any rigorous research on whether it really aids sleep.
What we know for sure is to avoid stimulants like caffeine. That means you should not consume soda, coffee, tea, chocolate or anything else containing caffeine within eight hours of bedtime.
It's intriguing to learn that sleep nourishes the body and affects appetite.
Here are a few more tips for getting a good night's rest:
Maintain a regular bedtime and wake time every day of the week.
If you lose sleep one night, make it up by going to bed early the next night, rather than sleeping late.
Regular exercise can help you get a good night's rest--but don't exercise right before bed.
Turn away or cover clocks-they can increase anxiety about insomnia.
If you lie awake for 30 minutes or more, get up and do something boring in very dim light until you are sleepy.
Jennifer Motl welcomes reader questions via her Web site, brighteating.com, or mailed to Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.
SOURCE: fredericksburg
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