Only in studies will people be perhaps convinced of the abnormalities and issues that lack of sleep bring. Health are expected to be at the top of the list and for today, it has to do something with weight.

Ideally, we hear about people losing weight due to lack of sleep. But in a strange twist, a study proves that lack of sleep can be a cause for gaining weight and eventually lead to obesity.

A study carried out by the University of Washington showed how some genetic traits could impact on BMI. The study which made use of twins turned out that those who slept for less than 7 hours were twice likely to experience genetic effects tied up with weight gain over the ones who slept for more than 9 hours.

Those who slept for less than seven hours had higher BMIs on average, and the researchers attributed 70 percent of the differences to the genetic effects.

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Obesity and sleep deprivation issues are already health risks on their own and when you combine both, it may lead to a serious death risk. Sleeping pills have their share of issues and as per findings by a family physician and epidemiologist from the Jackson Hole Centre for Preventive Medicine, obese persons may want to beware.

It seems that people suffering from obesity are seen as vulnerable and such would be catastrophic for people taking sleeping pills. Pills were found to be tied with longer pauses in breathing and from there you can see how the mortality rate may eventually set in, with reference to breathing problems for the people having their share of obesity problems.

These findings are based on the Scripps Clinic-led study of almost 40,000 patients, according to a Scripps Clinic statement.

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Sleep has been a problem for most people and while we all know the risks associated with the failure to get the proper amount of sleep, an infographic may somehow give the sleep-deprived a better view of the risks they are playing with.

Among them include that of the familiar link of lack of sleep with that of obesity. Apparently the graphic shows varying trends that depend highly on how much sleep a person gets. For example, a person who spends 7.5 hours a night in bed, only 6.1 of those hours are spent sleeping.

Further, sleeping for about six hours shows an increases on obesity by 27% while five hours a night increases that to 73 per cent. Other effects that lack of sleep may do include dangers like drowsiness which eventually signals dangers ahead whenever a person gets behind the wheel.

While many would consider the ‘You Need More Sleep’ inforgraphic as something common, it may be wise to sit down for a while and check it out, for health and safety sake.

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You may have probably heard or read somewhere that lack of sleep is likely to be tied up with obesity and today we find an interesting highlight that may sort of explain the whole issue. Ordinarily, lack of sleep may make you think you are forced to eat less with the notion that you would prefer to sleep than eat. But an experiment proved otherwise.

Apparently the trick was done using some photos of food on 12 normally weighted men. They did not sleep and after some scans showed a high level of activity that is associated with hunger. They were reportedly hungrier even without sleep compared to the ones who got some nap.

The heightened desire to eat is what the scientists call “Hedonic Stimulus Processing”. So if you want some good advice, try to get some sleep and forget that notion of sleeping over eating when needed. It may make a difference in calories, especially if you are trying to lose weight.

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Sleep habits have been linked to obesity but now it looks like there is a new factor that will be thrown into it. This has to do with the level of temperature a person has around him, something that could be a vital cog with regards to sleep loss.

The study was made by researchers over the Simona Bo at the University of Turin in Italy. Compared to people who kept their homes no warmer than 20 C (68 F) in the fall and winter, those who liked a toastier home were twice as likely to become obese.

It seems that getting better sleep and staying healthy just got more complicated. The bright side though is that you may end up saving on your electric bill if you turn down the thermostat.

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Everyone has varying sleep schedules but have you noticed any changes to your body lately? Well if you see some bulges, chances are you may have to change your sleep schedule or else face the fat!

Apparently staying up late can affect metabolism, something that helps you burn those excess calories. And a new study from the Ohio State University and the University of Haifa in Israel found through mice, that people may suffer from obesity when their sleep cycle is disrupted by exposure to light.

Getting a restful sleep and making sure not to eat too close to bed time are two guidelines often associated with weight loss. Now we know that it isn’t just about eating at night, it’s about maintaining a consistent restful sleep cycle in order to maintain a steady metabolism.

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If you are conscious about your weight, then exercising may not be the only solution. In fact, you can probably sleep on it! Especially if you are in your teens, a study suggest that the best ways to fight calories and the fat is to sleep regularly.

This is not the first time we have heard of the link between obesity and sleep loss. It has been reported by other studies that lack of sleep may alter levels of hormones that regulate one’s appetite, but only a few tried to see the influence of sleep loss on a person’s eating habits.

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Sleep deprivation is something obviously hurting people nowadays and it seems that these findings by the National Sleep Foundation may open more eyes than usual. From an average sleeping time of 9 hours, Americans are sleeping just 6.9 hours per night.

This represents a two hour drop per night since the 19th century, one hour per night over the past 50 years, and about 15 to 25 minutes per night just since 2001. A number of health factors can result from this, including heart problems, obesity and high blood pressures.

The good news is that these effects can be reversed by getting an adequate amount of sleep. The University of Chicago study on sleep duration and appetite found that allowing the study subjects to sleep 10 hours for two consecutive nights returned the hormones to normal levels and lowered hunger and appetite ratings by almost 25%.

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A new British study has found that a certain eye disorder has been linked to the dreaded sleep apnea problem. It is called FES (floppy eyelid syndrome) which is pretty much associated with obstructive sleep apnea.

People with OSA are at risk of oxygen deprivation when breathing slows or stops during sleep. OSA can contribute to or be aggravated by high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other systemic problems.

(Source) Science Daily

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Losing weight has been known to help us as far as healthy living is concerned. And while many aim for a better looking body and physique, weight loss may yet be a great help for the people having sleep apnea problems. People who are overweight or obese are much more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which a person’s breathing stops or becomes very shallow, sometimes several hundred times a night and sometimes for as long as a minute, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association.

This could lead to heart problems which is normal for people who have these problems. But based on a study, reducing weight can limit all that. A 10% decrease in weight is enough to improve sleep apnea issues. So if you want a free ride to address sleep apnea and also obesity, start out with that.

(Source) AJC

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The best way to be guided on the right mattress to have lied heavily on the type of mattress we lie on. However, not all people are well-educated on what a mattress should be, particularly the materials used and the impact that they have on one’s sleep.

The quality of one’s mattress has been referenced as a primary factor affecting the quality of one’s sleep, which impacts overall health and well-being. Poor sleep health has been tied to specific medical conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, depression, irregular hormone production, a weakened immune system, memory lapses, constant irritability and decreased concentration and reaction times.

Hence, Sit ‘n Sleep focuses on two areas:

1. The importance of Mattress Replacement (“Replace Every 8″) due to the dust mite buildup, allergens and mattress breakdown that adversely affect one’s health
2. Sit ‘n Sleep’s unique ability to scientifically evaluate one’s body type and sleep needs to deliver the right mattress for each individual customer.

Sit ‘n Sleep will also be initiating a “mattress buyback” offer, encouraging customers to trade in their old mattresses for credit towards their purchase of a new mattress.

(Source) Press

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We all read about it so apparently, the words of specialists may be able to convince us that sleep loss actually contributes to obesity and weight gains that has been a glaring problem these days. Medical studies performed in the past few years are revealing that sleep loss can contribute to weight gain.

“It interferes with our circadian rhythms and with the way we regulate our hormones,” William Kohler, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute, says.

There are two hormones that affect the appetite: Leptin and Ghrelin. Leptin communicates that “full feeling,” and when working correctly, suppresses the appetite. Ghrelin communicates the need for more food to keep energy levels up.

When people do not get enough sleep, both hormones are thrown out of whack. Their Leptin goes down, making them feel less satisfied – even when they have had enough food; and their Ghrelin goes up, stimulating the appetite.

“Often, I hear people say they didn’t sleep well, and they were eating just to stay awake. It may be these hormones playing a role,” James P. Krainson, medical director of the South Florida Sleep Diagnostic Center, says.

Something as simple as a mattress replacement may be the answer.

A poor-quality mattress – unsuited to the person’s body type – is guaranteed to reduce the amount and quality of sleep. This, in turn, could increase the amount of pounds on the body.

Sit ‘n Sleep, the largest mattress retailer in Southern California, is the only retailer in the region to offer a unique, sleep diagnostic center to its customers. At the center, a diagnostic machine makes more than 17,000 calculations to match sleepers with an optimal mattress type.

(Source) Press

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Normally, window blinds and shades can help a lot in getting some sleep since they fend off the usual irritating lights our eyes have to deal with. Exposure to light can disrupt sleep, making it difficult to fall asleep or even stay asleep. Lack of sleep has been linked to obesity, diabetes, immune system dysfunction, impaired judgment, disorientation and irritability. Using blinds and shades to control light can be your first step towards achieving a good night’s sleep.

“The immune system doesn’t work well if we don’t sleep,” says David P. White, McGinness professor of sleep medicine and director of the sleep disorders program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Most think sleep serves some neurological process to maintain homeostasis in the brain.”

In the bedroom, diminish all light in order to establish a nocturnal atmosphere. Any light trickling in from windows, whether it is sunlight or streetlights, should be blocked. Blackout shades over windows can offer a good solution. Many window blinds and shades come with a blackout liner option. Shades on tracks not only offer insulation, but can also provide a complete blackout solution.

To wake up by natural light, blinds set with timers can be a great way to ease the transition between sleep and waking.

(Source) PR Web

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The ideal weight for most of us is something that is hard to do these days, especially if you have been used to sleeping and eating as you wish. Many find it difficult if not impossible but with the proper determination; you can really battle the obesity syndrome that has a pretty big bearing when it comes to sleeping and being healthy.

With lack of exercise, your heart is suffering a lot from it. With lesser calories to burn, there is no telling what would happen to you, even in your sleep. Now encountering problems in your sleep has to be the worst kind of thing that you can experience and basing it from the people we see today, it would be best to try simple exercises with focus and concentration to make sure we have our bodies functioning in the right way healthy people do.

1. Walking
2. Jogging
3. Calisthenics
4. Tai Chi
5. Sports
6. Swimming

These are plain and simple exercises you can use as alternative. All it takes is the right way of thinking and you can be assured of a better and healthier life and sleep.

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We have been hearing the growing relation of obesity with sleep these days and indirectly, the point is people have to spice up their lives with certain activities that can perhaps add spice to their normal routine. This does not really entail rigorous activities and in fact, a study has showed that Tai Chi Chih, an ancient form of Chinese Martial arts, can significantly help improve sleeping patterns.

This is a good activity to participate in considering that it is a better alternative to healthier lives compared to the usual reliance of people on drugs to get that much needed sleep.

Studies show that more than half of older adults experience sleeping problems at least a few times a week, Irwin and his team note in their report. While CBT can ease insomnia, few therapists have the training to offer this type of treatment, which is also relatively expensive. And while aerobic exercise can also help people sleep better, vigorous workouts aren’t an option for many seniors.

To investigate whether tai chi chih might be an option, Irwin and his team analyzed sleep quality in 112 people aged 59 to 86 participating in a randomized, controlled trial of the martial art for preventing shingles. Tai chi chih instruction was given in 45-minute sessions, three times a week.

(Source) Reuters

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As far as overall physical appearance is concerned, who would ever think that this could be traced as another key indicator towards sleep related problems such as snoring, sleep apnea and excessive sleepiness? Apparently this was proven in a study at University of Virginia where it was found that children with larger necks should have clinical evaluation to be able to determine if sleep-related issues will exist.

Age-adjusted neck size correlated with body-mass index (BMI) and weight and showed a higher correlation with AHI than did BMI, weight or tonsil size. Neck size also showed a strong inverse correlation with mean oxygen saturation and was a better predictor of mean oxygen saturation than BMI, weight or tonsil size, the study found.

“Children with bigger neck sizes for age should be queried about snoring, apnea, excessive sleepiness, and hyperactivity. Neck size should be considered in the clinical evaluation of children with a history of snoring and apnea,” study author Dr. Pearl L. Yu said in a prepared statement.

(Source) US News

Snoring and breathing problems will normally originate from the neck and throat and seeing larger necks does seem abnormal physically and this is only one of the potential complications for health reason that has been found. For sure, there are far more other serious issues related to it such as obesity. See your doctor now and just play safe to be sure for your own sake.

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As far as getting the proper number of hours of sleep is concerned, you would rarely find anyone having the usual 8 hours of sleep. Some turn to the dreaded sleeping pills, which are claimed to be a lot safer these days since they are not as addicting as the olden days but it remains that they are still not the natural means of sleeping.

At risk is our health, making our bodies prone to heart problems and obesity. At a certain age where we are perhaps in the prime of our lives, this will not matter. But the real toll will set in once we age. In time, our bodies will start to show these problems and we will feel that for sure since we will get weaker which will become the opening that these diseases will need to flourish.

So with these in mind, should we turn to sleeping pills to get that much needed sleep? There are still risks and to date, the only thing that they will tell you is that it is not as addictive as the ones we used to take.

On whether that statement will make you feel comfortably depends on how you look at it.

(Source) Yahoo News

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1. Recession
2. Rising Prices
3. War
4. Economic Downturn
5. Global Warming

Now if you were the naïve person in the world today, you would not care and simply go your way. All you want to do is to really live your life one day at a time and just try and make do with what you can. Apparently, this is no laughing matter. The world is getting a more hectic place to live in and for sure you will lose a lot of sleep over it.

We all know the value of health as well. We need to sleep and get rest to be able to perform all the things necessary for us to survive. But if we slack a bit, we may lose a lot of things on how we can survive these problems in life. In short, while you have to sleep, who can?

Not included in the list of issues we see today is sleep. Sleep apnea, insomnia and sleep disorders are all growing concerns. They may not be eye-popping issues today but one day they will surely will.

The funny thing is that they may come at a time when all these current events come to be resolved. Now you face a new threat that of which may be aimed towards your health.

Sleep deprivation has been linked with heart disease, obesity, chron ic infections, hypertension, depression . . . and death. It is patently not a good idea to work excessive hours with no sleep, but we are constantly told that, to be an effective, successful and notable individual, this is what we must do. All the evidence suggests that we will make less intelligent judgements without sleep – just as we would if we went for an extended period without, say, food or air – but the pressure is on to prove that we can function anyway.

(Source) Newstatesman

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Such has been proven by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to which an estimated 50 to 70 billion people suffer from sleep-related problems. Besides having trouble at work, health experts warn that chronic sleep loss is often linked with obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cardiovascular disease, depression, cigarette smoking, and excessive drinking.

The National Sleep Foundation, a Washington-based organization that studies sleep and sleep disorders, sustains that adults should sleep at least seven hours a night, children ages 5 to 12 should get 9 to 11 hours, while adolescents need 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 hours.

The new study, based on a door-to door survey of 87,000 U.S. adults from 2004 through 2006, revealed that among adults 18 and older who slept 7 to 8 hours a night, only 18 percent were current cigarette smokers, compared to over 30 percent of adults who slept less than six hours a night.

Lack of sleep also resulted in obesity, according to the study, which found that about 33 percent of those who slept less than six hours were obese, as were 26 percent of those who got nine hours or more. Only 22 percent of those sleeping the recommended amount of time were obese.

(Source) eFluxMedia

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You suffer from sleep and now obesity. They are indeed related and if people are not careful, chances are they are increasing their health risk even more. While people cannot be restrained that much when it comes to looking for food while they are awake, sleeping on an empty stomach may be bad as well. In summary, it seems that unless a person is able to control sleep disorders and their stomach, they may want to consider a visit to the nearest physician for further diagnoses and medication necessary.

For years, experts have warned that obesity increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension and heart attack. Now, there’s more bad news: Being fat makes it harder to sleep, and sleep deprivation can increase your craving for food.

Recent studies at the Johns Hopkins University and elsewhere show that those who sleep poorly are more likely to have weight problems than sound sleepers, that high-fat diets can alter sleep cycles and that hormones controlling our appetites can rise and fall with the quality of our shut-eye.

Source: Baltimoresun.com

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Discovering the high level of carbon dioxide from such sleep apnea problems is only normal. This abnormal sleeping disorder is bound to point towards other areas of health risks such as obesity and such should not be surprising.

(Source) People who suffer from the nighttime breathing disorder known as sleep apnea may develop high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood during the daytime — a condition known as hypercapnia, Japanese researchers have found.

Dr. Koichiro Tatsumi from Chiba University and colleagues studied 1,227 patients with obstructive sleep apnea — a common problem in which people stop breathing for short periods during sleep. It occurs when soft tissues in the back of the throat collapses, temporarily block the airway.

Tests showed that 168 of the patients, or 14 percent, suffered from daytime hypercapnia. These patients weighed significantly more and had worse sleep apnea than patients with normal blood levels of carbon dioxide.

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The question is, does staying in bed if you don’t feel like it, healthy for you? We all know that we need the appropriate rest to recharge our bodies but there are limits and reasons as to why there are suggested sleeping hours usually between 6 to 8 hours a day. Aside from taking part in extended sleep, risk factors such as obesity and semi-somnia may eventually take place.

Further, excessive sleep may more or less ruin the proper sleeping cycle recommended for most people today. So at times when we let our sleepy heads get the better of us, better consider the consequences from what we wrongfully perceive as healthful towards our overall health.

Read more: Wake Up Call on Sleep Habits

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There are far more factors included in the whole sleepless night syndrome. Related health problems such as obesity, diabetes and depression all have their own part towards contributing sleep deprived individuals today.

Sleep experts say pills are not the answer as we try to cram more into our day. And they say unless parents start teaching their teenagers sleep is important, the problem will get worse.

Lack of sleep is linked to obesity, diabetes and depression, and it suppresses the immune system.

Source: Kiwis turn to pills to sleep

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The whole theory is quite ridiculous. While some people believe in it, it is an unhealthy way of living and making up for lack of sleep which is obviously a need today. Food has its own role in maintaining health and sad to say, it is not a good substitute when it comes to trying to make up for lost sleep.

Source: Insomnia and Obesity

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A lot of workers use this workaholic attitude to speed up their promotion with their respective companies. Although in the real world this is true, it also speeds up their prone towards different health risks such as obesity and heart disease. It will reach a point where over-fatigue will lead towards needing medical aids and supplements to withstand the loss of proper care for the human body. Hence, the need to re-evaluate the rate of living among people is something that should be looked upon twice.

Here is a good article to read upon for superficial understanding of this issue on the Herald Sun: Heavy Price of Lost Sleep

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Here’s a great article on losing weight by sleeping more.

In a new article appearing in the current issue of Obesity Reviews, University of Michigan researcher Michael Sivak presents calculations showing that replacing one hour of inactive wakefulness—such as watching television—with sleep can result in a 6 percent reduction in caloric intake.

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