| Until recently, being obese has been attributed to | | | | Women are not the only ones at risk, however. A |
| having a poor diet, suffering from hormonal | | | | combined investigation between Karine Spiegel from |
| imbalances, genetic factors, lack of exercise and | | | | the University of Brussels of Belgium and Van Cauter |
| physical activity, etc., but never to a lack of sleep. | | | | from the University of Chicago found that men |
| Now, several new clinical studies have demonstrated | | | | sleeping less than 7 to 8 hours a day are more at |
| that sleep deprivation also plays a large part in | | | | risk of becoming obese and / or of suffering from |
| making both children and adults obese. | | | | diabetes. They performed an experiment on male |
| One study cited by the American Chronicle found | | | | patients, restricting sleep for two days, and found |
| that kids that went to bed late gained weight more | | | | that sleep deprivation altered two hormones named |
| easily than kids that had an early bed time. In fact | | | | ghrelin and leptin which are responsible for a person's |
| the study demonstrated that with just one extra | | | | appetite. It is believed that the increase in ghrelin and |
| hour of sleep, kids can reduce their risk of becoming | | | | the decrease in leptin suffered by sleep deprived |
| obese by an incredible 30 to 36 percent. | | | | patients cause them to crave more food and |
| Furthermore, it was found that teenagers are | | | | therefore eat more. |
| sleeping less than they should. The US National Sleep | | | | Another hormone altered by a lack of sleep is |
| Foundation recommends that youngsters ages 5 to | | | | cortisol. Sleep deprivation apparently causes the brain |
| 12, need about 11 hours of sleep and teenagers need | | | | to instruct this hormone to store excess calories as |
| about 9 hours. The study found that the average | | | | fat. Sugar levels are usually also higher in patients that |
| teenager ages 13 to 18 is getting only about 7 hours | | | | sleep less than they should. Patients getting less sleep |
| of sleep, which is two hours less than the | | | | usually feel the need for a sugar rush to give them |
| recommended minimum. This makes teens more | | | | energy. The increase in glucose levels promotes |
| prone to becoming overweight. | | | | excess insulin production and puts the patient more |
| Another study cited by Ian Johnston of the | | | | at risk of becoming diabetic. Furthermore, if the sugar |
| Scotsman, found that women that get less than five | | | | is not burned off soon enough it will be turned into |
| hours of sleep are very much at risk of becoming | | | | fat. |
| overweight. The study titled "The Nurses Health | | | | With all the evidence linking obesity to sleep |
| Study" ran for about 16 years and tracked | | | | deprivation, it is important to analyze if our own |
| approximately 70,000 women who recorded their | | | | sleeping patterns are putting us at risk. Adults need |
| weight every two years. The findings were | | | | around 8 hours of sleep. Getting a good night sleep |
| astonishing. Women that averaged only five hours of | | | | will not only reduce excessive daytime sleepiness but |
| sleep at night were 32 percent more prone to gaining | | | | will also help us stay fit. |
| an incredible 33 pounds . | | | | |