People who have regular sleep patterns have lower fat levels, thus, sleeping and waking up at the same time can very well be the secret to being skinny, a new study suggests.
Researchers involved in the study analyzed more than 300 women between the age of 17 and 26, over the course of several weeks. They have found that those with the best or most consistent sleeping patterns had the lowest levels of body fat than those who don't. These participants were assessed for their body composition and were provided with an activity tracker that they used to record movements within the day as well as their sleep patterns at night.
Results of the study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion found that getting less than 6.5 hours or more than 8.5 hours of sleep every night is directly associated with higher levels of body fat. Women with more than 90 minutes of sleep variation and wake up time weekly also had higher levels of body fat than those with only 60 minutes of variation. Bruce Bailey, exercise science professor confirmed that poor sleep quality can result in higher body fat which affects the hormones related to appetite.
"We have these internal clocks and throwing them off and not allowing them to get into a pattern does have an impact on our physiology," said Professor Bailey. He suggests various ways to improve sleep quality which includes regular exercise and keeping one's bedroom quiet and dark and using beds only for sleeping. "Sleep is often a casualty of trying to do more and be better and it is often sacrificed, especially by college students who kind of wear if as a badge of honor," he said.
