July 11, 2006
Nap and Lose Weight?
According to this study, sleep might actually help regulate body weight!
If sleeping to lose weight sounds like a dream, wake up. The power of sleep in regulating appetite, body weight and risk of type 2 diabetes in adults and children is strong enough that some scientists wonder if it may soon be the newest weapon in the battle against obesity.
"Can a good night's sleep make us slimmer?" asks Danish nutrition researcher Arne Astrup in an editorial in this month's International Journal of Obesity. Maybe, Astrup concludes, citing a growing body of research that points to sleep as a key player in hunger and appetite control.
Nap. No studies have tested the weight-loss benefits of napping, but research suggests that naps help make up for sleep loss in other ways. So until scientists sort it out, sleep experts suggest napping on those days when nightly sleep is cut short. Adults need about eight hours per night; children need at least 10 hours nightly, and teens require eight to 9 1/2 hours per night.
· Boost physical activity. It not only helps improve sleep, but it also increases energy, decreases stress, elevates mood and increases mental performance. Plus, it may dampen hunger. ·
