Well, the holiday season is upon us! The long work hours and late night social events often lead us to a chaotic and sleep deprived lifestyle in December. For most of us, a big challenge is avoiding weight gain during a season of delicious calorie-infused festive treats! If this is a concern for you, then you may want to recharge your metabolism with an adequate amount of sleep.
Several studies (and a more recent study published in the Int’l Journal of Endocrinology,) have proposed that a lack of sleep increases one’s risk of obesity and potentially adult onset diabetes. Glu
cose intolerance and a reduction in the satiety hormone leptin have been shown to be impaired following sleep restriction of 4 hours per night for 5 consecutive days. This, in turn, stimulates hunger and upsets the regulation of energy metabolism. So if you are concerned about maintaining your energy levels and avoiding the weight gain pitfalls, ensure you are getting enough sleep! A late night here and there is fine, but consistent sleep deprivation may be more dangerous to your health (and waistline,) then you thought. Chamomile tea anyone?