Gain sleep and lose weight? Or is it lose sleep and gain weight? And what exactly is beauty sleep? New research shows that middle-aged and up women who have trouble falling or staying asleep, may add on more pounds than their well-rested and possibly youthful appearing female counterparts. As if simply getting older isn’t hard enough!
Getting enough quality sleep is just as important as eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Without good sleep, healthy diet, and regular exercise you may feel constantly exhausted. This viscous life cycle may finally become intolerable giving you an unwanted ticket on the lose sleep, gain weight merry-go-round. The easiest way to get your life back on track is to get to the root of the problem. Your sleep!
New findings from a research group in Finland, reported in the International Journal of Obesity, strengthen the evidence that sleep problems are related to weight gain. The Finn’s study design allowed them to show that women with sleep apnea or other sleep issues, led to substantial weight gain in some participants.
The Finnish researchers followed more than 7,300 40- to 60-year-old adults for seven years. They found that women who reported significant sleep problems generally put on more weight over time than women who slept well. Roughly 33% of women with frequent sleep problems gained at least 11 pounds, versus about 20% of women with no sleep difficulties. Furthermore, the study proved that five or less hours of sleep per night has a significant impact on weight gain verses seven to eight hours of sleep.
Hence there could be truth to the phrase beauty sleep. A good night’s rest can help us look better, reduce mistakes made while performing critical tasks, and ward off colds or flu. Explains Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleep: “It’s not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight, but if you are sleep-deprived, your metabolism will not function properly.” In a separate study, Breus’ hormonal research now can prove a link between getting not enough quality sleep & weight gain.
Hormones and Sleep
The two hormones that are key in this process are Ghrelin and Leptin. Ghrelin is the go hormone. “You have more Ghrelin when you are sleep-deprived telling you to eat more,” Breus says. “Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and when you are sleep deprived, you have less leptin.” Therefore according to the resarch: More Ghrelin plus less Leptin equals weight gain.“You are eating more, plus your metabolism is slower when you are sleep-deprived,” Breus says.
At the Woodinville Sleep Improvement Center, Hyung Park, MD who is the Medical Director and specializes in Sleep Medicine concurs. “Often, women can have sleep issues that can be even more complicated. Women may suffer from insomnia which can be brought on by changes in hormones and stresses. Additionally, women often do not realize that their risk of obstructive sleep apnea becomes comparable to that of men as they enter middle age”.
Woodinville Sleep Improvement Center
The Woodinville Sleep Improvement is a full service sleep center that specializes in sleep issues that can affect your weight and other sleep concerns for both genders. Our facility is relaxed, peaceful, and conveniently located in downtown Woodinville near Molbak’s. We welcome you here to get evaluated for any sleep related issues. Call us at (425) 286-6256 or request an appointment.