Sept Series: Want to Lose Weight? Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep!

How Important Sleep is for Losing Weight

An emerging body of research reveals that the less you sleep, the more likely

you are to put on excess weight.

One trial followed 83,377 men and women for seven and a half years. The researchers found that those who were not initially obese but slumbered fewer than five hours a night were 40% more likely to develop obesity by the study's end- compared with those who slept for seven to eight hours a night.

Too little shut- eye seems to promote weight gain in several ways. For starters, lack of sufficient sleep has been shown to slow down metabolism, so you burn fewer calories. Plus, the resulting fatigue can make you less motivated to be up and about the next day, and more likely to spend the day sitting or lounging around. At the same time sleep deprivation disrupts hormones that control hunger and appetite, such as leptin and ghrelin, which may be why research shows that a lack of sleep can encourage you to eat 300 to 500 extra calories a day.

If you would like a better night's sleep, try these tips from the National Sleep Foundation.

• Stay active- Exercise helps regulate your body clock -particularly during daylight

  hours.

• Make sleep a priority-Don't let sleep be the thing you do only after everything else is done. Schedule it like any other activity.

• Stay on schedule- Going to sleep at the same time every night helps your body know when it's time to fall sleepy.

• Practice good sleep hygiene- Don't use electronic devices within two hours of your bedtime, as the blue light they emit keeps you wakeful.

• Keep your room as dark as possible.

Your Health Coach, Christine!