Sleep deprivation linked to weight gain and larger waistline, study finds
Sleep expert examines sleep trends on social media
During ‘Fox & Friends’ Healthy Living Week, sleep specialist Dr. Rebecca Robbins analyzes popular sleep trends like melatonin, mouth taping, cooling pillows, and sleep trackers. He explains melatonin’s role in circadian rhythm, the benefits of mouth taping for nasal breathing, and the importance of a 65-degree Fahrenheit sleep environment. Robbins recommends adults aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night for optimal health and longevity.
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Regularly reducing sleep can cause the number on the scale to increase, according to new research.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that adults who slept about 90 minutes less each night for six weeks gained about a pound more, on average, compared to periods when they got enough rest.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center studied 95 adults who were already at risk for heart or metabolic disease and compared six weeks of adequate sleep to six weeks of cutting out about 90 minutes of sleep each night.
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A new study reveals that regular interruptions in sleep can cause the number on the scale to increase. (iStock)
At the end of the sleep-restricted phase, participants weighed about a pound more on average and had slightly wider waists. They also spent more time sitting, although their moderate and vigorous exercise levels remained about the same.
While participants gained weight, researchers did not detect significant changes in body fat or muscle mass. They also didn’t track how much food participants ate, so it’s unclear what triggered the increase.
Ohio-based obstetrician and HerMD founder Dr. Somi Javaid told Fox News Digital that sleep plays an important role in regulating the body’s metabolism.
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Chronic sleep deprivation can make it harder for the body to regulate weight, Javaid said, but noted that women going through menopause may be particularly vulnerable because sleep problems become more common at this stage of life.
“We are ruining women’s sleep during the period when their metabolism is fully functioning. [the] “At least I was able to absorb the blow, then tell them to eat less and exercise more,” Javaid said.
After six weeks of restricted sleep, adults gained an average of half a pound and had slightly larger waist circumferences compared to when they had adequate rest. (iStock)
He added that the American Heart Association now recognizes sleep as “one of the 8 Essentials of Life” for heart health and recommends adults get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
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“Chronic short sleep is not a lifestyle quirk,” Javaid said. “We must treat sleep as a vital sign of health.”
Although the findings suggest that getting less sleep on a regular basis may contribute to weight gain, the researchers noted some limitations of the study.
Experts say menopause can make it more difficult for women to regulate their weight because sleep problems often become more common. (iStock)
They said the six-week study may not have been long enough to detect meaningful changes in body fat, which may take longer than changes in body weight.
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The researchers also noted that the study’s relatively small sample size limited their ability to compare results between different groups of participants. Additionally, some hormone measurements were collected only in the morning and may not reflect fluctuations that occur throughout the day.
