Lack of sleep can be dangerous in many ways but you may not know that gaining weight can be one them. Yes, lack of sleep can make you fat. According to a new study, if you do not get enough sleep, fighting your fatigue with food the next day becomes really hard to resist.
In fact, scientists have found that people eat extra 385 calories a day when they sleep less than seven hours at night. The extra calories mean you will add a pound to your waistline every week.
Researchers from King's College, London studied 172 individuals to see if sleep duration is connected to weight gain. It was found that lack of sleep was dangerous because it influenced people to consume more high-fat foods the next day instead of consuming fruits or vegetables.
The extra calories come from consuming unhealthy snacks including chips, chocolate, cookies etc.
According to National Sleep Foundation, people aged 18 to 64 are advised to get seven to nine hours of sleep at night and this will help them to maintain a healthy diet.
It happens mainly because after sleeping less at night, people think they 'deserve' cookies or chips. This leads to a diet with higher fats and lower proteins. And, adequate protein in the diet is very essential as all of the cells in the body use it to function.
Moreover, researchers also found that people who have slept less than seven hours were less likely to be active next day so it, in turn, affects the body's ability to burn calories and prevent weight gain.
On an average, the body needs to burn 3,500 calories per week (or 500 calories per day) in order to lose one pound. So, if a person is gaining around 400 calories a day instead of burning it, quite obviously the person will end up adding a pound a week.
So, the experts suggest people take care of their sleep habits and ensure proper bedtimes so that it doesn't hinder their diet the next day.
