I just read an article in the latest Readers Digest magazine about the effects of sleep deprivation. I'm just going to quote a couple of paragraphs from the article and let you come to your own conclusions.
" In 1999 Eve Van Cauter, A University of Chicago sleep researcher, published a groundbreaking study in The Lancet in which, for six nights, young men spent only four hours in bed. During that week, their blood samples showed impaired glucose tolerance: They were in a prediabetic state.
Van Cauter believes that sleep loss is partly involved in the rising rate of obesity. One link is growth hormone, which controls the proportions of fat and muscle in the body. Lack of sleep could drive down growth hormone, accelerating the paunch process. Another hormone, leptin, tells the body when it should feel full. 'With the low leptin levels of sleep debt, ' Van Cauter says, 'your body will crave carbohydrates even though you've had enough calories.'"
Since reading this article, I've stopped staying up until past midnight. In fact, I'm sending myself off to beddy-bye at 10 pm on the dot, whether I'm in the middle of watching a TV show or doing paperwork with DH. One night I just dropped everything and went off to bed leaving him sitting there with his jaw hanging down. Usually he's asleep hours before I come to bed. It's too soon to tell yet whether or not getting more sleep will help in my weight loss efforts but it sure can't hurt.
It also struck me as significant about the "paunch process" and I'm wondering if this is why I lose weight everywhere else but in my tummy. Could this be the body's way of conserving energy for a "rainy day"? We will see. Anyhow, all you insomniacs out there. If you're having trouble with carb snack attacks when you know you've had enough food to eat, think about your sleep habits and perhaps try to get a few more zzzzzzs.
I never thought of this before
I would just like to say that is very interesting. I think more research or experiments could be done on that. I do see how one can affect the other. I feel like I have more control over my calories if I am up early. I have to be at work at 6:30 a.m. and I actually feel more energized once I have eaten breakfast. Of course I don't eat that early. We usually order in or grab something at work around 8:30 or so. Thanks for the info though.
My aunt and uncle (in their mid-80s) say they just don't need as much sleep anymore but I think they both have good long afternoon naps every day. That could be the reason.
