Are You Trying to Shift a Few Pounds? You Might Want to Start Sleeping More…

Sleep – it’s great isn’t it? In fact, we’re inclined to think that there’s nothing better than getting a solid night of slumber, especially if you’re in desperate need of it. But did you know that going to bed earlier could help you to lose weight?

A variety of studies from Canadian scientist have revealed that getting a good night’s sleep is just as important as diet and exercise when you’re trying to get those few extra pounds off.

According to researchers from the Eastern Ontario Research institute and Laval University in Quebec, there is growing evidence that a lack of sleep actually enhances feelings of hunger and increases the levels of hormones which affect our appetite and causes us to eat more.

The researchers believe that sleeping habits should now be addressed alongside diet and physical exercise when it comes to helping people lose weight, especially people who suffer from obesity.

Do you get enough sleep every night or is it time you hit the hay earlier?

In one experiment, volunteers who shifted their sleeping pattern from less than six hours to between seven and eight hours a night, put on 2.4kg less weight over a period of six years. A shorter experiment revealed that volunteers who slept for longer and had a higher quality of sleep were far more likely to lose weight while on a diet.

“Sleep should be included as part of the lifestyle package that traditionally has focused on diet and physical activity,” the researchers wrote in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Do you get eight hours of sleep every night or do you exist on six or seven?