Why your quantity and quality of sleep could be making you fat.
Approximately 68% of Americans suffer from some type of sleep disorder. A restless night or two has victimized us all; however, it seems as though our high stress society is creating an epidemic of sorts. And I don’t mean just a sleep epidemic but an obesity epidemic.
In fact, a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that cutting back on sleep increases appetite, slows fat loss and lowers metabolism by causing a loss of muscle tissue.
The study director Plamen Penev, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago said it best, “If your goal is to lose fat, skipping sleep is like poking sticks in your bicycle wheels.”
“Cutting back on sleep, a behavior that is ubiquitous in modern society, appears to compromise efforts to lose fat through dieting. In our study it reduced fat loss by 55 percent.”– Plamen Penev, MD, PhD
Not convinced yet?
In another study from the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, researchers found that poor sleep patterns increased appetite and cravings. This was due to a disruption in the secretion of the hormones, Ghrelin and Leptin. Both of these hormones play significant roles in metabolism, fat loss and appetite control. Without these hormones in check, sticking to an effective eating plan is beyond challenging.
In my experience with working with thousands of people over the last 15 years, I have witnessed a clear connection between getting adequate sleep and achieving a lean, athletic body that you are proud of.
There are no short cuts. Achieving physical greatness requires the right combination of Physical Training, Effective Eating, Quality Sleep and Mental Conditioning.
Bottom line: Adequate Sleep = Less Fat, More Muscle, Greater Energy and Vitality
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Good article! I knew it was important to sleep at least 8 hours a day, but I didn’t think it was for all of these reasons. It is good to know that as it makes you be more serious about it.