Your gym sessions may be locked-in, and your nutrition might be on-point, but if you are failing to hit the hay at a reasonable time, you could be stalling your progress toward getting slimmer. While we are constantly told that adequate sleep is a necessary part of the weight loss journey, getting to bed on time is often the most neglected aspect of a healthy routine. Now, a new study is hoping to put this issue to bed once and for all, by showing how just 80 minutes less shuteye can negatively impact our goals.
While much of the existing data around sleep deprivation is focused on extremes, this recent research out of Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center was set up with the aim of discovering what happens to our weight during milder sleep deficits
The Columbia University Sleep Study Explained
A research team led by Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia, aimed to replicate the plight of around 30% of the population, by taking adults who usually get the generally recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep and delaying their bedtimes by 90 minutes for six weeks. This 90-minute extension equated to around 80 minutes less sleep
Sleep and physical activity levels were measured during this six-week period, along with body weight, waist size, and hormonal fluctuations
Can Losing Sleep Cause Weight Gain?
Following the six weeks of mild sleep deprivation, the 95 adult participants experienced an average weight gain of one pound. “While the one-pound weight gain observed with modest sleep curtailment is not overwhelming, it is important to remember this is occurring over just six weeks,” explained the study’s first author, Faris Zuraikat. “Our study was designed to mimic sleep patterns that most adults experience chronically. When extrapolated to a full year, we would expect that losing less than an hour and a half of sleep per night could result in clinically meaningful weight gain.”
Added Health Risks of Lack of Sleep
The scientists also found another problem for those who get less sleep but want to lose more weight. During the sleep restriction phase of the experiment, levels of physical inactivity increased. “Even when we accounted for the fact that they were awake longer when sleep was shortened, participants spent more time being inactive than when they got adequate sleep,” said Zuraikat. “This is notable, as people who are more sedentary have elevated risk for chronic diseases.”
Now, the scientists are hoping to build on their findings by promoting the many health benefits of sleep. “Though more research is needed to further understand how sleep restriction leads to weight gain, all of our findings suggest that insufficient sleep increases the risk of obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease,” said St-Onge. “Now we need to understand the health effects of improving sleep in those who fail to get adequate sleep on a regular basis.”
The take home message? If you want to hit your activity goals and lose an optimum amount of weight, scroll less and sleep more
