Sleep More and Weigh Less!

Researchers have reported that woman who sleep 5 hours or less per night generally weigh more than women who sleep 7 hours or more per night.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average woman gets only six and a half hours of sleep per night. Chronic sleep deprivation can have a variety of effects on the metabolism and overall health.

Inadequate sleep:

• interferes with the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates and causes high blood levels of glucose, which leads to higher insulin levels and greater body-fat storage.
• drives down leptin levels, which causes the body to crave carbohydrates.
• reduces levels of growth hormone--a protein that helps regulate the body's proportions of fat and muscle.
• can lead to insulin resistance and contribute to increased risk of diabetes
• can increase blood pressure
• can increase the risk of heart disease

Even in young, healthy people, a sleep deficit of three to four hours a night over the course of a week has a triple-whammy effect on the body.