Sleep Away The Calories Tonight

   By drodriguez  Apr 10, 2011

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Science gives us yet another reason why it’s always a good idea to catch some Z’s.  A recent study found that making unhealthy food choices and gaining unwanted weight may be at stake when you’re not getting enough sleep at night.

A recent report from USA Today discusses the findings of the Columbia University study and what it means for women who sleep less than the recommended 8 to 9 hours a night.  

The women involved in the study ate an average of 329 more calories and 31 extra grams of fat on the days they were sleep-deprived (getting about 4 hours of sleep) than during the time they had slept 9 hours.  Ice cream was reported to be the number one choice of sleep deprived women.

So, how did the men measure up?  They only ate 263 more calories on the days they were lacking a good night’s rest and their fat intake did not increase much at all.

Assistant professor of clinical nutrition medicine at Columbia University, Marie-Pierre St-Onge, explains why you may want to think about getting some extra shuteye tonight.  St-Onge says, “Sleep deprivation makes you more susceptible to overeating so that can be something to consider when you’re trying to lose weight.”  St-Onge also points out other studies that link lack of sleep to heart disease and obesity.

What do you think of the study reporting that women make unhealthy food choices and may gain weight when they don’t get enough sleep?

Do you find that you eat more and crave fattier foods when you’re sleep deprived?