Sleep Deprivation Leads to Overeating by Pamela A. Popper, Ph.D., N.D.
In addition to eating well and exercising, rest and sleep are crucial for optimal health. Unfortunately, most Americans are sleep deprived most of the time. This sleep deprivation causes all kinds of problems, ranging from increased risk of auto accidents to overeating and poor food choices. A study conducted at Columbia University confirms this.
Marie Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., and her colleagues enrolled 13 men and 13 women in a study in which they lived in a controlled environment for six days on two different occasions. During the first visit, they spent 9 hours per day in bed; on the second visit they were only allowed to spend 4 hours per day in bed. For the first four days of each stay, the subjects were on a controlled diet and on the fifth day they were allowed to eat whatever they wanted. Average calorie consumption increased by about 300 calories when the subjects were sleep-deprived as compared to when they were rested, and most of those calories were high in fat.
Women overate more than men – the women ate an extra 328.6 calories vs. only 262.7 for men. Women also were more likely to choose higher fat foods than the men.
The researchers presented their findings at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention conference, held March 22-25 in Atlanta.
Does this mean that simply sleeping more will help you to lose weight? No – you still have to adopt a program of dietary excellence and exercise. But you’re more likely to have trouble sticking with the right choices if you’re chronically tired. One strategy for reducing the risk of making poor dietary choices is to sanitize your house, office and other places you spend time of all of the foods you should not be eating, and make sure healthier choices are available. This makes it easier to eat the right instead of the wrong foods.
DeNoon, D. “Sleepy People Overeat” WebMD Health News March 23, 2011
Audrey’s Note: If you are getting enough sleep, and are trying to lose weight, get in touch. I can help you exercise smarter, not harder, and help you with food choices.