Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the study was the intervention's simplicity. Importantly, to blind participants to sleep intervention, recruitment materials did not mention sleep intervention, allowing us to capture true habitual sleep patterns at baseline.

Even though the study did not systematically assess factors that may have influenced sleep behavior, "limiting the use of electronic devices before bedtime appeared as a key intervention," said Tasali.

Following just a single counseling session, participants increased their average sleep duration by over an hour a night.

Despite prescribing no other lifestyle changes, most participants had a large decrease in how much they ate, with some participants eating as many as fewer calories per day.

The subjects were only involved in the study for a total of four weeks, with two weeks for gathering baseline information about sleep and caloric intake, followed by two weeks to monitor the effects of the sleep intervention.

If healthy sleep habits are maintained over longer duration, this would lead to clinically important weight loss over time. Many people are working hard to find ways to decrease their caloric intake to lose weight -- well, just by sleeping more, you may be able to reduce it substantially.

Ultimately, Tasali and her team hope to examine the underlying mechanisms that may explain these results, and believe this work should spur new, larger studies on weight control to determine if extending sleep can support weight-loss programs and help prevent or reverse obesity.

This could really help people trying to lose weight. Here's what a study says. Sleeping more reduces calorie intake? Here's what a study says ANI Posted by Parmita Uniyal.

Feb 08, PM IST. Share Via. Individuals who increased their sleep duration were able to reduce their caloric intake by an average of kcal per day. Discover the thrill of cricket like never before, exclusively on HT. Explore now! Sleep more to eat less? New research boosts this premise, suggesting that adults who are better rested consume significantly fewer calories than those who are chronically sleep-deprived.

This short-term study of 80 overweight people drives home just how integral slumber — or lack of it — is to our propensity to put on excess pounds, says Dr. Beth Frates, director of lifestyle medicine and wellness in the department of surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Frates says. The new study , published in JAMA Internal Medicine , reinforces earlier findings indicating that people who sleep less consume more calories — and even crave higher-calorie foods — compared with those who sleep for longer periods.

About one-third of Americans don't sleep the recommended seven to nine hours each night, Dr. Frates notes, and this shortfall is linked to many chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Sleep, she says, is one of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine — a list that also includes exercise, nutritious eating, stress reduction, social connection, and avoiding risky substances.

The study participants were adults ages 21 to 40 with a BMI between All of them routinely slept less than 6. For the first two weeks, all maintained normal sleep patterns. Another study found short sleep duration to be significantly associated with greater waist circumference, which is an indicator of the accumulation of belly fat 3.

Other studies have found similar results 4 , 5 , 6. In a recent review of 33 observational and intervention studies, short sleep duration was associated with an increased risk of obesity. Interestingly, for every additional hour of sleep, BMI scores decreased 7.

Another review of many observational studies found short sleep duration was associated with a significantly higher risk of obesity in these different age groups 8 :. Though lack of sleep is only one factor in the development of obesity, research suggests it negatively affects hunger levels, influencing a person to consume more calories from high fat and high sugar foods.

It may do this by affecting hunger hormone levels, increasing ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry, and decreasing leptin, which makes you feel full 4 , 10 , Ghrelin is a hormone released in the stomach that signals hunger in the brain. Levels are high before you eat, which is when the stomach is empty, and low after you eat.

Leptin is a hormone released from fat cells. It suppresses hunger and signals fullness in the brain 12 , Poor sleep may also negatively affect the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in increased levels of cortisol — a hormone related to stress It may also suppress various hormones, such as levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 IGF IGF-1 is linked to greater fat storage 10 , 11 , Additionally, many sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea , may get worse with weight gain.

Unfortunately, this can lead to a cycle of poor sleep leading to weight gain and weight gain leading to poor sleep Studies have found that poor sleep is associated with weight gain and a higher likelihood of obesity in both adults and children.

Many studies have found that people who are sleep deprived report having an increased appetite and a higher daily calorie intake 16 , In fact, one review of studies found that those who experienced sleep deprivation consumed an additional calories per day, with a greater than usual proportion of calories coming from fat Another study showed that sleep deprivation led to significant increases in hunger, food cravings, portion sizes, and chocolate and fat intakes The increase in food intake is likely caused partly by the effect of sleep on the hunger hormones ghrelin and leptin.

When you do not get adequate sleep, the body makes more ghrelin and less leptin, leaving you hungry and increasing your appetite 12 , Poor sleep may increase appetite, likely due to its effect on hormones that signal hunger and fullness.

Lack of sleep alters the way your brain works and can affect decision making. This may make it harder to make healthy food choices and resist tempting foods 20 , In addition, it appears that the reward centers of the brain are more stimulated by food when you are sleep deprived For example, one study found that sleep deprived participants had greater reward-related brain responses after viewing images of high calorie foods.

Interestingly, they were also more likely to pay more for food than those who had adequate sleep Another study showed that sleep deprivation led to increased smell sensitivity to high calorie foods and greater consumption Furthermore, lack of sleep may lead to poorer food choices, such as a higher intake of foods high in calories, sugar, and fat, to compensate for feeling a lack of energy Poor sleep has also been linked to an increased intake of foods high in calories, fats, and sugar.

Going to sleep earlier may help you avoid the late-night snacking that often comes with staying up past your bedtime. For example, if you ate dinner at p. and you stay up until a. Interestingly, late-night eating is associated with greater weight gain, a higher BMI, and decreased fat oxidation — making weight loss more difficult 25 , 26 , 27 , In particular, those with acid reflux, indigestion, or sleep disorders may want to limit food intake before bed 29 , 30 ,

The researchers calculated changes in calorie intake during the two-week intervention using the energy expenditure, weight, and body composition data. Results were published on February 7, , in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Participants in the sleep extension group increased the amount of sleep they got by an average of 1. They also took in an average of calories a day less than the control group.

If healthy sleep habits were maintained over longer periods, a deficit of calories a day would lead to clinically important weight loss over time.

The study suggests that healthy sleep behavior could be a new tool to help tackle the epidemic of obesity. However, more work is needed to know whether improved sleep duration could help with obesity prevention and weight loss over a longer period of time.

References: Effect of Sleep Extension on Objectively Assessed Energy Intake Among Adults With Overweight in Real-life Settings: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Tasali E, Wroblewski K, Kahn E, Kilkus J, Schoeller DA.

JAMA Intern Med. doi: Online ahead of print. PMID: Site Menu Home. gov Science Education Resources NIH Clinical Research Trials and You Talking to Your Doctor More ». Search Health Topics.

With the aim of lengthening sleep times to 8. Frates notes. All were told to keep up daily routines without changing diet or exercise habits. Each wore a wrist device that tracked their sleep cycles, and they weighed themselves each morning.

Sophisticated lab tests teased out the difference between the number of calories each participant consumed and expended each day. Researchers found participants who received sleep hygiene counseling slept for more than an hour longer each night than those continuing their prior sleep habits.

Extended-sleep participants also consumed an average of fewer calories each day and lost about a pound compared to control group participants, who gained just under a pound on average.

The findings are exciting, because they reveal the power of education and counseling on behavior change — in this case sleep, Dr. Significant extra slumber time can help people feel like they're thriving rather than just surviving, she adds.

But why might extra sleep matter? Sleep duration has long been linked to the body's production of appetite-regulating hormones. Insufficient sleep is associated with higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite, and lower levels of the hormone leptin, which leads to feeling less full.

ScienceDaily, 12 June American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Caloric Intake Negatively Influences Healthy Adults' Sleep Patterns. Retrieved February 13, from www. htm accessed February 13, Explore More.

A Good Night's Sleep May Make It Easier to Stick to Exercise and Diet Goals. New Study Debunks Notion That Salt Consumption Contributes to Weight Loss. Study Ties Poor Sleep to Reduced Memory Performance in Older Adults. June 24, — A new study has found that variability in night-to-night sleep time and reduced sleep quality adversely affect the ability of older adults to recall information about past events.

The study also Consumption of Caffeinated Energy Drinks Rises in the United States. Energy drink Print Email Share. Trending Topics. Immune System. Personalized Medicine.

The trial studied 80 adults aged 21 to 40 with a body mass index between 25 and Half of the participants were randomly assigned to receive personalised sleep hygiene counselling aimed at extending the amount of time they slept each night. The study did not ask the volunteers to restrict their diets or change their exercise routines.

All slept in their own beds and used wearable devices to track their sleep duration. Previous studies have shown that getting too little sleep can lead people to put on weight by increasing their food intake.

The latest trial, published in Jama Internal Medicine, suggests the effects may be reversed by helping people to sleep for longer. News Opinion Sport Culture Lifestyle Show More Show More News View all News World news UK news Climate crisis Ukraine Environment Science Global development Football Tech Business Obituaries.

Researchers noticed the fall in calories within two weeks of participants changing their sleep patterns. Lack of sleep alters the way your brain works and can affect decision making.

This may make it harder to make healthy food choices and resist tempting foods 20 , In addition, it appears that the reward centers of the brain are more stimulated by food when you are sleep deprived For example, one study found that sleep deprived participants had greater reward-related brain responses after viewing images of high calorie foods.

Interestingly, they were also more likely to pay more for food than those who had adequate sleep Another study showed that sleep deprivation led to increased smell sensitivity to high calorie foods and greater consumption Furthermore, lack of sleep may lead to poorer food choices, such as a higher intake of foods high in calories, sugar, and fat, to compensate for feeling a lack of energy Poor sleep has also been linked to an increased intake of foods high in calories, fats, and sugar.

Going to sleep earlier may help you avoid the late-night snacking that often comes with staying up past your bedtime. For example, if you ate dinner at p.

and you stay up until a. Interestingly, late-night eating is associated with greater weight gain, a higher BMI, and decreased fat oxidation — making weight loss more difficult 25 , 26 , 27 , In particular, those with acid reflux, indigestion, or sleep disorders may want to limit food intake before bed 29 , 30 , Ideally, try to limit your food intake 2—3 hours before bed.

Poor sleep can increase your calorie intake by increasing late-night snacking, portion sizes, and the time available to eat. Your resting metabolic rate RMR is the number of calories your body burns when at rest. Interestingly, sleep duration may also affect your RMR 32 , One study including 47 participants looked at how sleep restriction affected RMR.

The experimental group slept normally for 2 nights baseline followed by 5 days of sleep restriction with 4 hours per night The control group had no significant changes to their RMR This study suggests that sleep deprivation may reduce RMR, but that you may be able to bring your RMR back up by getting proper sleep for at least one night One study found that sleep deprivation resulted in significantly lower basal fat oxidation in people of different ages, sexes, and body composition.

However, RMR was not affected Collectively, these conditions contribute to the breakdown of muscle However, this study was small and only 1 day long, which are major limitations. Thus, longer and larger studies are needed 39 , Sleep and physical activity have a close two-way relationship.

A lack of sleep decreases physical activity, and lack of physical activity may lead to worsened sleep 41 , Numerous studies have shown that regular exercise can decrease the time it takes you to fall asleep and increase the overall quality of sleep across all age groups 42 , 43 , 44 , Furthermore, a lack of sleep can cause daytime fatigue, making you less motivated to exercise and more likely to be sedentary.

This can make achieving a calorie deficit for weight loss more difficult. Getting enough sleep may increase your motivation to be more active and enhance your athletic performance, both of which can contribute to weight loss. Interestingly, being physically active can also improve your sleep.

A lack of sleep is linked to poorer food choices, increased hunger and calorie intake, decreased physical activity, and ultimately, weight gain.

If your weight loss efforts are not producing results, it may be time to examine your sleep habits. Though individual needs vary, most adults need around 7—9 hours of sleep per night. Children and teens need even more. But sleep deprivation, whether temporary or chronic, is common in the U. About a third of American adults report not getting enough sleep.

Not getting enough quality sleep raises the risk of many diseases and disorders. And a chronic lack of sleep has been identified as a risk factor for obesity. Laboratory studies have shown that sleep restriction stimulates appetite and increases cravings for high-calorie food.

To answer this question, researchers led by Dr. Esra Tasali from the University of Chicago enrolled 80 adults into a randomized clinical trial of sleep extension in real-world settings.

All study participants were overweight and between the ages of 21 and They regularly got an average of less than 6 and a half hours of sleep per night due to habits or lifestyle, not medical reasons. Energy expenditure was tracked by having them drink water with tracers that could be measured in urine over the course of the trial.

During the first two weeks of the trial, participants continued their regular sleep patterns. On day 15, they were randomly assigned to either receive sleep extension counseling or continue their sleep habits the control group. The sleep extension group received a session of personalized counseling on good sleep hygiene, such as setting regular bed and wake times and limiting screen use before bed.

They also received one follow-up session a week later. The researchers calculated changes in calorie intake during the two-week intervention using the energy expenditure, weight, and body composition data.