Research Warns Loss of Sleep Limits Fat Loss

(Newswire.net — June 28, 2022) Orlando, FL — Over the years, researchers have been looking into the impacts of sleep on the various aspects of health. Time and again it’s found that sleep inadequacy leads to certain undesirable health outcomes. 

A study has particularly shown that sleep loss negates the therapeutic benefits of dieting.

The findings of this interesting research were actually published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. 

According to researchers, a full-night sleep led to the loss of the same amount of weight as when they slept less. When dieters got adequate sleep, over half of the weight they shed was fat. However, when they cut back on sleep, only one-fourth of their weight loss came from fat.

It’s further noted that the subjects felt hungrier and sleep restriction led to the increased production of ghrelin. This is a hormone found to trigger hunger and lessen energy expenditure. 

“If your goal is to lose fat, skipping sleep is like poking sticks in your bicycle wheels,” said study director Plamen Penev, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. 

“Cutting back on sleep, a behavior that is ubiquitous in modern society appears to compromise efforts to lose fat through dieting. In our study, it reduced fat loss by 55 percent.”

The research was performed at the University of Chicago’s General Clinical Resource Center. It involved tracking 10 overweight but healthy volunteers who belong to the age bracket of between 35 and 49 with a body mass index ranging from 25, considered overweight, to 32, considered obese. 

It is important to note that the subjects were actually placed on an individualized balanced diet and their calories were restricted to 90 percent of what every person required in maintaining his or her weight without exercise.

Over the years, researchers have been stressing the relevance of weight management for various aspects of health. It is worth keeping in mind that obesity has long been known to increase the risk of many of the world’s deadliest diseases. 

While it can be challenging, weight loss is highly possible. It only requires hard work, determination, and the right weight management techniques. It is vital to follow a healthy diet (www.amazon.com/dp/B06XF7K9MM).