The Cardiologist's Wife

Lack Of Sleep Can Make You Fat

[ Post by Lisa Tedder ][ Post on July 10, 2012 ][ In Medical and Health Information ]

There are so many easy, inexpensive things you can do every day to dramatically improve your health that I wonder why people don’t do them.  How hard is it to drink a couple of glasses of water a day instead of another soda?  Is it too tough to give up 30 minutes of TV a few nights each week to walk the block with a friend?  Can’t you eat a banana with your lunch instead of chips?  That is basically the whole point of my blog: to show people that they can live a better, healthier life without a lot of trouble if they only make an effort.  Sleeping should be an easy and pleasant thing to do for your health.

 

I have written before about how a lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain among other problems but it is worth discussing again.  My husband shared another study with me recently and while most of it was pretty technical, I can boil it down to what you need to know:  people who sleep less than 7 hours a night increase their genetic risk for weight gain.  The study involved twins and looked at how sleep affected their genetic predisposition to gain weight.  Those who slept more than 7 hours had the lowest BMI’s.  So if you are looking for a way to boost your weight loss program or to maintain your current body weight, make sure you regularly get 7 or more hours of sleep each night.

 

Sleep needs vary from person to person and children and infants obviously need more sleep.  Sleep deprivation increases the levels of a hunger hormone and decreases the levels of a hormone that signals we are full, a bad combination.  If you wake up in the morning feeling rested and ready to go, you are getting enough sleep.  Please don’t forget that a lack of sleep can affect so many other important areas of your life such as your ability to drive safely and concentrate at work.  Don’t think that you can just catch up on the weekend, you need a consistent level of sleep every day to be at your best.

 

If you have trouble falling and staying asleep, do what it takes to fix the problem.  I’m not recommending you go right out and get drugs; that should be a last resort.  Don’t hesitate to sleep in another room if your partner is keeping you awake.  We all have different things we like when we sleep – some like “white noise”, some want it cold, some like to fall asleep to music and others live with a snorer.  (That is probably not a word but you know what I mean.)  Everyone is better off with a good night’s sleep rather than trying to sleep together.  Your relationship will be better if you don’t resent your partner for interrupting your sleep.

 

If worry is keeping you awake, solve the problem or find a way to put it aside for the night with prayer or whatever works for you.  I take Melatonin as needed to help me sleep, especially if I didn’t get enough sleep the night before.  Melatonin is a hormone produced by your body and found in small amount in food.  It can also be bought as a man made supplement found at grocery stores, drug stores, etc.  Children can take Melatonin as well but read the label or talk to your pediatrician.

 

Remember to keep all electronics out of your bedroom.  It is not necessary to get texts in the middle of the night or news updates.  Make sure your children do the same.  Don’t exercise late in the evening as that can keep you awake.  Certainly avoid caffeine late in the afternoon and evening.  If you suffer from insomnia, please see a doctor for help.

Upadated on July 10, 2012