Those who sleep a lot do not get fat

Sleeping well and for many hours helps to keep fit and even lose weight so much so that there is also a diet to dispose of pounds during night rest.

Never give up the “beauty sleep”, the beauty sleep, before an important day. But rest does not only relax the facial features. A good night’s sleep of at least seven hours each night removes the risk of obesity.

This is supported by a survey conducted among 10,000 Americans: the chances of gaining weight, in fact, increase by 60% among those who sleep five hours a night compared to those who sleep seven.

How do you explain it?

The neuroendocrine system that regulates sleep has points of contact with the appetite regulator. And those who suffer from insomnia produce more ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger to the brain and lower amounts of leptin, the hormone that, on the contrary, is responsible for the sense of satiety.

In short, the blank night favors the habit of snacking, with heavy consequences for the line, quantifiable in 200 extra calories every time you do the small hours.

It is also known that people who are severely overweight have a worse quality of sleep as they are more exposed to respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. Less sleep, more hunger, more fat: a vicious circle to be broken as soon as possible.

In addition, food taken at night acts unfavorably on the activation of insulin, the hormone that stimulates the use of glucose for energy production. With the result that foods are transformed into fat instead of energy.

The art of resting

How to lose weight, then, taking advantage of the new discoveries of sleep biology?

• It is a good idea to go to bed and wake up at the same time, including weekends.
• Sleep between seven and nine hours: this is the time considered ideal for the body to consume fats correctly.
• Afternoon naps are not worthwhile, on the contrary, they can disturb the metabolism.
• Resting well is an art: silence, darkness and a well-ventilated room favor abandonment in the arms of Morpheus and the proper functioning of the pituitary, the gland that releases melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Learning to sleep can, therefore, prove to be the perfect idea for those who do not like to sweat in the gym, as Mike and Stuart McInnes, creators of the Hibernation Diet, have discovered.

It is not a question of hibernating while waiting for the fats to melt, but of a simple diet that allows the metabolism a certain natural acceleration during rest.

According to the two researchers, it is possible to consume about 600 calories during the first 4 hours of sleep and 120 for each subsequent hour: 1,080 calories less with a comfortable eight-hour sleep.

The rules for losing weight while sleeping

Few carbohydrates, preferably whole grains or otherwise unrefined, vegetables, fruit, white meats and fish. Here are the main foods of the diet.

Fundamental is the pre-evening snack that predisposes the liver to receive dinner: a fruit, for example banana, and two rusks with a thin slice of low-fat cheese.

Dinner is light, based on vegetable soups, an equally green side dish, grilled meat or fish without seasonings and a fruit.

A couple of hours after eating, take a short walk or, if time or place does not allow it, some simple non-aerobic home exercise.

Before going to bed, a couple of teaspoons of honey will help keep your blood sugar stable during overnight fasting. But remember to brush your teeth: the fats may go away but the sugars continue to work.

In order not to gain weight, therefore, it is important to sleep well, seven to eight hours straight without interruption.

Are you insomniac? If your condition lasts for a month or more it is advisable to consult your doctor for a precise diagnosis because sleeping little or badly could have different causes: from anxiety, which affects 25% of insomniacs, to physical disorders such as restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea.