Sleep “aids weight loss”

Women who are looking for something that will help them to shed those few extra pounds alongside their diet or weight loss pills should simply try to get more sleep every night, according to a medical expert.

Dr Shahrad Taheri, a consultant endocrinologist at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, and his team have completed a series of studies looking at weight and sleep and also examined the metabolic system.

“We discovered that people who sleep for significantly less than seven hours a night often end up being obese,” Dr Taheri revealed.

The researchers also found that participants who did not have any significant weight problems beforehand experienced weight gain when their sleeping time was reduced.

According to the NHS, more than 9,000 deaths a year are caused by obesity – a problem that it says is fast becoming the developed world’s largest health issue.

Around two thirds of the UK’s adult population is overweight or obese and one of the best ways that this can be tackled this through eating a healthier diet.

How many hours of sleep do you get on average each night?