"Sleeping to lose wait"
"Sleeping to lose wait"
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Getting too little sleep might prevent dieters from losing as much body fat as they otherwise would have, a small study suggests.
Studies suggest that people embarking on a weight-loss plan may want to make sure they are catching enough shut-eye each night, researchers say. They found that during the sleep-restricted period, the dieters mainly lost muscle rather than fat.
Sleep loss may alter people's levels of the "hunger hormones" leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is secreted by fat cells; low blood levels of the hormone promote hunger, while increases tell the brain that body is full and encourage calorie burning. Ghrelin is secreted by the stomach to boost appetite.
The study suggests that if you are trying to lose weight by restricting your calories, it may be more difficult if you are sleep deprived. Pay more attention to your daily routines of eating, physical activity, and also sleep.