Getting a good night's sleep can help weight loss

The Oskaloosa Herald

OSKALOOSA June 12, 2008 11:13 am

— According to the National Sleep Foundation, getting adequate sleep may be the weight loss secret you have been looking for.
Research suggests that even a slight amount of sleep deprivation can alter a person’s hormones. This may cause them to have stronger cravings for carbohydrates and calorie-rich comfort foods such as cookies and chips.
In the NSF’s 2008 Sleep in America poll, findings suggest that sleep loss and obesity are linked. The poll suggests that overweight people are more likely than people of normal weight to sleep less than six hours per night.
Earl Howard, director of respiratory care at Mahaska Health Partnership, said sleep loss can also cause other health problems.
“In addition to loosing weight, adequate sleep is essential for your mental awareness during daily activities in our lives,” Howard explained. “Sleep deprivation is also a major contributing factor to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and heart failure.”
Howard recommends the following NSF guidelines to achieve healthy sleep:
• Make sleep a priority.
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Remove distractions such as phones or computers from your bedroom.
• Avoid food and drinks high in caffeine.
• Exercise regularly.
If you are experiencing sleep issues, such as difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep or sleepiness during the day after a good night’s rest, Howard said you should talk with your physician. A sleep study may be able to help you discover what is disrupting your rest.
For more information way to improve your sleep, visit www.sleepfoundation.org or www.mahaskahealth.com or call the MHP Sleep Lab at 672-2340 for a free brochure on sleep apnea.