WEBE Wellness: Sleeping To Lose Weight

Young woman comfortably sleeping at night in a bed at home. Sleep time.

WEBE Wellness: Sleeping To Lose Weight

Many of us struggle with weight loss, but beyond diet and exercise, there’s another thing you may not have tried – sleeping more!

A new study tracked how many hours people slept with how many calories they consumed. Participants who got a full 8 hours consumed on average 270 fewer calories per day. For some it was as many as 500 calories.

It really didn’t have to do with staying in bed longer, which meant they were awake less – it had to do with key hormones that control our hunger feelings. When we’re sleep deprived, we eat worse, and we simply feel less hungry when we’re well rested.

If you can get the full 8 hours, cutting 270 calories per day is a lot – it’ll be about 9 pounds a year.

Image Credit: Viktoria Korobova / iStock / Getty Images Plus