[Hephaestion]

ARA) - Here is proof that every once in a while, life hands us a break. Getting enough sleep each night -- the ultimate luxury -- can actually help maintain a trim waistline, according to a recent study conducted at the University of Chicago. Hearing this, you may feel like you just picked up the Chance card in Monopoly that reads, "Bank Error in Your Favor, Collect $200."

The study shows that sleep deprivation could contribute to overeating and weight gain. So, the next time you hear someone brag that they pulled an all-nighter to impress the boss, remind yourself that an all-nighter would make it that much harder to shed those pesky extra pounds you've been meaning to lose. This latest discovery in the land of sleep research means that nobody should feel guilty when they make time for a good night's sleep.

Here is what this new study means and how you can avoid triggering sleep deprivation and weight gain.

Sleep Deprivation, Appetite Control

The hormone leptin communicates satiety or fullness to the brain. When your leptin levels are high, your brain knows you are satisfied or full. When leptin levels are low, your brain thinks the body needs nourishment. The newly published study suggests that not sleeping long enough at night causes decreased levels of leptin. You feel hungry, regardless of whether the body actually needs more sustenance, according to Eve Van Cauter, Ph.D., professor and sleep researcher at the University of Chicago and member of the Sleep Advisory Board at Select Comfort.

The study participants were restricted to four hours of sleep per night and their food intake and activity levels were strictly monitored. After only six nights of sleep deprivation they demonstrated a leptin decrease ranging from 19 - 26 percent. The participants with the greatest decrease in leptin reported feeling the most hungry and craved carbohydrate-rich foods. The participants with less significant leptin decreases reported being the least hungry.

The bottom line: If you aren't getting enough sleep, you will probably have a very difficult time controlling your appetite and will be at increased risk of overeating.

Avoiding Leptin-Triggered Overeating

The good news is that a well balanced lifestyle is still your best bet for achieving and maintaining a healthy physique. Here are some tips to keep you on the right track.

* Make Sleep a Priority

Get serious about dedicating eight hours a night to sleeping. Remind yourself that getting a good night's rest will help you control your appetite and prepare you for a productive day. Set a timer to remind yourself to prepare for bed if necessary.

If you think your mattress is keeping you from sleeping well, investigate newer bedding technologies like The Sleep Number Bed by Select Comfort, which can be adjusted at the touch of a button to an individual's preference for comfort, firmness and support. In clinical studies, test subjects reported back pain relief and improved sleep quality when sleeping on a Sleep Number bed, compared to their own innerspring mattress.

* Sharpen Your Time Management Skills

Find a time management technique that works for you and stick with it. By becoming more organized, you'll be less likely to have to sacrifice sleep or time at the gym in order to meet deadlines. If you need inspiration, purchase a new daily planner or ask colleagues what works for them.

When things get busy at the office, resist the urge to call for pizza delivery and hunker down for an all-nighter. Instead, plan on spending an extra hour or two at the office each night for a week.

* Cut Yourself Some Slack, Occasionally

Your office in-box will never be empty and there will be more dirty laundry to wash tomorrow. Don't let life overwhelm you. Create realistic standards for your life and make time for fun.
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[Mella]

Hm, Interesting.

Maybe if we all hibernated for the Winter, we'd have perfect bikini bodies come Kusadasi time.

[Shannon]

I can vouch for this! When i dont get enough sleep i get bloated and put on weight and then if i have a good nights sleep, it drops off! Sounds strange i know, but its true! I love my sleep!

[Hephaestion]

So Shannon you are actually able to just snore it off then?

Originally Posted by Carmella

Hm, Interesting.

Maybe if we all hibernated for the Winter, we'd have perfect bikini bodies come Kusadasi time.

Well bears loose half their bodyweight during hibernation so why can´t we? I can just imagine after getting home from that boring flight we unpack brush our teeth and then you hear "SET THE ALARM
TO 9 MONTHS TIME". NIGHT NIGHT!

[xStakYx]

i totally agree!! i get bloated if i dont get enough time in bed! i love sleeepp! and being in my bed...hehe! :P

[Hephaestion]

Well it´s nice to use it as an excuse now! Sorry gotta get my rest or I´ll swell up into a Sumo restler by tomorrow morning!

[Podge]

im the opposite i dont sleep much, and i hardly eat, i rarely feel hungry, infact if i sleep alot when i wake up im starving!!!! but then my body has never worked the same as others, if i eat before going out i get drunker quicker!!!!!! but heh we all have our quirks!!!! lol

[Shannon]

Originally Posted by Podge

im the opposite i dont sleep much, and i hardly eat, i rarely feel hungry, infact if i sleep alot when i wake up im starving!!!! but then my body has never worked the same as others, if i eat before going out i get drunker quicker!!!!!! but heh we all have our quirks!!!! lol

Hmmm you're weird

[slimjim]

add me to your weird list shannon just like podge i hardly sleep 3 or 4 hours a night does me fine and on this i have just a normal appetite but if i sleep say 8 or 9 hours i wake up really hungry and stay quire peckish all day
have to agree with food and drink as well have always found i get less drunk on an empty stomach as well
perhaps its down to our overall make up how sleep /appetite reaction works
so 20 to 25 hours sleep a week and well for those of you who dont know me "slimjim" is accurate not a pick on me