rahuliit2003 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Posted March 30, 2010 [img]http://cdn-www.livestrong.com/ls_images/article/71000-71999/71047-image_249_375_keep_aspect.jpg?v=1263331241[/img][b]Concept[/b]While it is widely known that adequate sleep is necessary for optimal mental performance, most do not know that adequate sleep can help prevent weight gain. Although people burn more calories when they're awake than when they are asleep (though your body still burns calories while sleeping!), those who are awake the most hours are often overweight. Read on to learn about this counter-intuitive phenomenon.[b]Nutrition Facts and Figures[/b]Research shows that the number of hours slept influences an individual's risk of obesity. Many studies suggest that in both children and adults, the less they sleep, the heavier they are1. At Columbia University, researchers found that people who slept six hours per night were 23 percent more likely to be obese than people who slept between seven and nine hours. Those who slept five hours were 50 percent more likely-while those who slept four hours or less were 73 percent more likely-to be obese.[b]Why is this so?[/b]The fact that sleep deprivation is linked to obesity may have to do with what happens to your body when you deprive it of sleep. Two hormones are affected by sleep deprivation:1) Leptin, which is released by fat cells, signals the brain to stop eating.2) Ghrelin, which is made in the stomach and small intestine, signals the brain to keep eating.These hormones influence how much one eats eat. Studies have shown that leptin levels are lower and ghrelin levels are higher in people who sleep fewer hours. Both of these hormone changes trigger you to eat more-therefore, the less you sleep the hungrier you are!
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