Sleeping Less = Obesity and Early Death
I’ve written a lot about how sleeping less is associated with many negative health concerns like:
- Premature Death — Want to Die Early? Sleep Less
- Obesity — Want to Be Fat Forever? Sleep Less
- Cancer
- Hear Disease
- Depress & Anxiety
There’s much more but for the sake of brevity, I’m keeping the list here short.
The science is clear on this.
Sleep deprivation can have catastrophic health consequences.
Dr. Matthew Walker offers a clear explanation and proof of this bold statement in his text “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.”
The fact is, over the past few decades, Americans have been sleeping less and reporting lower quality sleep.
At the same time, the average body mass index (BMI) of Americans has been on the rise, indicating an increase in body weights and obesity rates.
Simply stated, Americans are sleeping less and getting fatter.
This brings up two important questions:
Does sleeping less actually cause you to gain weight?
Does sleeping less make it harder to lose weight?
The definitive answer to these questions is Yes.
Researchers have been studying the links between sleep deprivation and obesity since these alarming trends have emerged.
Studies have concluded that insufficient and poor-quality sleep contributes to metabolic disorders, weight gain, and a higher risk of obesity and other chronic health issues.
Some of the proven factors that cause you to gain weight when you are sleep deprived are:
- Increased appetite and cravings
- Less energy for physical activity
- Greater likelihood of binge eating
According to Dr. Matthew Walker’s compelling research, some of the alarming reasons you’re likely to die early from sleeping less than you should are:
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Increased risk of cancer
- Chronic obesity
If you think that sleeping 7–9 hours per night is unrealistic or is only for lazy people, I want you to reconsider changing your thought process. That logic is outdated and unequivocally false.
So please make getting enough quality sleep a priority for the sake of your physical health, mental health and longevity.
Give it some thought.
Fitness Coach, Certified Personal Trainer and Weight Management Specialist View all posts by Kris Becker
Originally published at http://krisbeckerfitness.wordpress.com on August 13, 2024.
