Get more sleep during the work week.

Weight Loss Tip 70 – Get More Sleep

Businesswoman Sleeping on the Job

We all do it.  We go to work during the day, and we spend our evenings trying to do our hobbies and be with our family.  All of the time we spend burning the candles at both ends is catching up with us. A lack of sleep makes us

inefficient and grumpy.  You would be better off going to bed early saving the surfing web pages and checking emails to the weekends.  

A recent study from 2015 entitled “The Impact of Sleep Debt on Adiposity and Insulin Sensitivity in Patients with Early Diabetes” looked at the impact of poor sleep of obesity.  The study was presented at the 2015 annual meeting of the Endocrine.  In the study, researchers found that adults are constantly losing as little as 30 minutes of sleep on weekdays had a significantly higher risk of obesity. The study included 522 patients with Type 2 diabetes who were asked to completed sleep diaries.  At baseline, compared to those without weekday sleep debt, those with positive weekday sleep debt were 72% more likely to be obese.  At six months post-intervention, positive weekday sleep debt was significantly associated with obesity and insulin resistance after adjustment.  For every 30 minutes of weekday sleep debt at baseline, the risk of obesity and insulin resistance at 12 months post-intervention was significantly increased by 17% and 39%, respectively.

Other studies have found similar findings[1],[2],[3].  To be honest, none of this is surprising because sleep deprivation leased to increase cortisol level and stress.  Both of these lead to increase body fat around your central region and a higher level insulin resistance   

The bottom line:  Get more sleep because sleep is a research-proven means to help weight loss.  People who built up weekday sleep debt are more likely to be obese and insulin resistant.  The long-term effects of weekday sleep debt may cause metabolic disruption, which may exacerbate the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Future interventions designed to slow progression, or reverse metabolic disease, should consider all factors that impinge on metabolic function. Consistent optimum sleep hygiene/education may be a key component for driving successful future trials in metabolic disease control.