A Good Night's Sleep for Your Figure

A Good Night's Sleep for Your Figure

That would be great: Go to bed at night chubby and wake up slender the next morning.

Such miracles only happen in fairy tales. Despite that, there is something to it. People who regularly sleep seven to eight hours deeply and soundly are generally thinner than those who go to bed late and like to turn the night into day.

Sleep plays a pivotal role in controlling body weight, a fact that scientific studies demonstrate repeatedly. People who are well rested tend ot enjoy exercise and develop less hunger than overtired short-sleepers. The reason: Lack of sleep disturbs your metabolism. The body produces less leptin, a hormone that works like an eating brake and stimulates energy consumption. Messengers such as the stress hormone cortisol and the appetite-promoting ghrelin increase, and consequently tired people eat more.

Seven to eight hours of sleep are ideal. Exercise is recommended for anyone who sleeps poorly. Exercise dispels worries, eliminates feelings of weakness and burns calories, which is to the advantage of your figure. The more muscles you have, the more energy your body burns during sleep. In other words: close your eyes and become slender.

Text: Elisabeth Lange