Here’s some good news- the more sleep you get, the easier it is to keep to a healthy diet, and to lose weight.
It sounds so obvious, but a lot of people aren’t getting a good night’s sleep. Obviously, sometimes sleep apnea can be the problem. In general, however, more and more people are sleeping less and less, anyway.
The amount of sleep the average American gets has dropped from an average of 8.5 hours per a night to around 7, by the end of the nineties. This makes a difference, as people who sleep less have been shown to have larger appetites. One study of Chicagoans who were allowed a mere 5.5 hours of sleep showed a tendency to consume on average 200 more calories worth of sugar-rich foods than similar subjects given 8.5 hours. Another study found that women gained an extra three percent of body fat for every average hour of sleep lost. Apply that to our difference in Americans, and that’s a 5.5 increase in our body-fat.
As we know, obesity can lead all too easily to sleep apnea, which can then lead on to further difficulties. It’s a vicious cycle, and another good reason why it’s so important this is treated.
Of course, the other way to look at it is that if you start to make progress in the other direction, the health benefits can snowball too- lose weight, and you may find it easier to sleep well, snore less, and suffer less sleep apnea symptoms. This then makes it easier to lose weight and eat well.
It’s all about starting a pattern- small things like avoiding stimulants late at night, keeping a regular sleep pattern, and exercising regularly, can all make a difference!
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