Lack of Sleep Linked to Weight Gain
(HealthDay News, 5/25/06)

Dr. Sanjay Patel of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and team, analyzed data from the Nurses Health Study, which queried over 68,000 women on weight and lifestyle every two years. By the end of sixteen years, the study showed that participants who slept five hours a night were more likely to gain significant amounts of weight, compared to those sleeping seven hours. The scientists proposed several explanations for these findings, including the possibility that sleep deprivation results in a less efficient metabolism or that fewer hours spent resting may reflect the onset of a hectic lifestyle that not only leads to sleeping less, but to relying on fast foods. Patel also noted that “sleep-deprived people generally pay less attention to their health."

(American Thoracic Society International Conference, San Diego, May 2006)