Saturday, August 24, 2013

Link between poor sleep and obesity

This article discusses how poor sleep can lead to obesity as well as other sleep issues.

Could lack of sleep lead to obesity?

Yes, it is true. We generally overlook disturbed sleeping pattern, relish ourselves with a mug of coffee snug inside a balmy chair and just convince ourselves saying it is normal sometimes. But, don’t ignore it if sleep problems are a regular occurrence in your daily life as it may eventually contribute as a factor to your increasing waistline.
Researchers have suggested that major changes in sleep pattern can alter brain activity, sparking cravings for high-calorie food. If a person does not take adequate amount of sleep, this process impacts secretion of the signal hormones ghrelin, which increases appetite, and leptin, which indicates when the body is satiated. Now, this can trigger in excessive and undue eating without the compensating energy outflow and eventually pave way for obesity.

Studies have also shown that poor sleep or irregular sleep patterns can also play havoc on your hormones thereby increasing their levels abnormally which eventually leads to weight gain. It has also been observed that sleep deprived people crave for junk and sugary foods and even suffer dizziness, tiredness and lack of concentration. 

Further, people who work in late-night shifts are more prone to erratic sleep and are at a risk of developing diabetes. 

Symptoms of sleep disorder

- Lack of concentration.

- Feeling tired most of the time.

- Developing a need to drink caffeinated beverages for some instant energy.

- Slow reactions.

- Facing trouble in controlling one’s emotions.

How to cope up with poor sleep and check weight gain: 

If you are facing any of these symptoms, then pay notice to these warning signs and start looking for options to lose weight and pave your way to a better night’s sleep. 

For a start, you can try below mentioned options to improve your sleep and keep weight gain at check.

- Say no to junk food: Yes, the problem of sleeping disorder starts on an innocent note as whenever you feel sleep deprived, you crave for fatty food like potato chips, pastries, something that uplifts your mood instantly. So, fast foods are a big no-no.


- Exercise regularly: According to experts, exercise can help a lot in improving the quality of one’s sleep as it speeds up the metabolism of the body and leaves you feeling a lot more energetic which helps in keeping a check on one’s weight and also aids in proper sleep. But, avoid exercising before bedtime as it may have an adverse effect.


- Take ample amount of sleep: Sleeping for at least 7-8 hours in a day is a must as proper sleep will make one feel energetic, put a check on cravings for high-calorie food and hence save one from being a victim of obesity.
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