Sleep deprivation ‘leading people to eat more’

People could be putting their weight loss regime under serious threat if they fail to get a good night’s sleep.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, have found that sleep deprivation may be leading individuals down the path towards obesity.

In order to reach such a conclusion, the group surveyed 17 normal young men and women for eight nights, each of which were seen to live a healthy life.

Half of the participants slept normally throughout the duration of the research, while the other half only snoozed for two-thirds the recommended time.

During their waking hours, the sleep deprived group were found to consume around 549 additional calories per day more than those who had a restful night.

Andrew D. Calvin, co-investigator, cardiology fellow and assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, commented: “Sleep deprivation is a growing problem, with 28 per cent of adults now reporting that they get six or fewer hours of sleep per night.”

People looking to lose weight in the run-up to summer may want to follow the advice of Eileen Daspin, author of The Manhattan Diet, and “really enjoy what you eat, but just eat less of it”.