Are you getting enough shut-eye?

It is already well know that lack of sleep leads to decreased physical recovery and mental function; however, researchers at Wake Forest recently discovered that intra-abdominal fat was increased over a five-year period. The study, which was confirmed by CT scan and interviews, showed that if you sleep less than 5 hours a night, you could be at risk for gaining fat!

Astonishingly, subcutaneous as well as deep abdominal fat increased 32%. The specific effect of sleep deprivation as an independent variable was established over and above total calorie intake, education levels, physical activity levels and smoking.

The bottom line rationale:
Lack of sleep at night led to increased daytime fatigue which affected physical activity leading to weight gain. Moreover, lack of sleep affected hunger suppression hormones, which led to overeating.

Take Home Message:
Get between 6 & 7 hours of sleep at night to prevent a bulging belly!

Hairston, K.G., et al (2010) Sleep Duration and Five-Year Abdominal Fat Accumulation in a Minority Cohort: The IRAS Family Study. Sleep. 33(03): 289-295.
Amy Norton. (2010) Sleep habits linked to fat gain in younger adults. Reuters Health.

MIND YOUR BODY & KEEP MOVING!