New studies reveal just half an hour of lost sleep can lead to weight gain

By Kate Hassett

New studies reveal just half an hour of lost sleep can lead to weight gain
In the latest study targeting sleep deprivation, results have shown an increase in adverse effects on metabolic rates.

More than a few of us are guilty of skimping on our weeknight sleeping patterns and using the weekend to make up for lost time. According to a recent study, this give and take mentality is leading to an increase in adverse metabolic consequences.

The study revealed, that missing as little as thirty minutes a day, led to an increase of 17 percent towards risk of obesity and 39 percent more of an increase in insulin resistance – an indicator of diabetes.

Doctors trialed 522 patients that had been recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and assigned a ‘care’ program of added exercise or diet and exercise. Both programs included a focus on sleep during the week as a factor for investigation.

Upon the commencement of the study, patients who already didn’t get enough sleep were 72 percent more likely, than those with sufficient sleep patterns, to become obese.

After the six-month research period, the same group had an increase in likelihood to become obese, and an increase in insulin issues.

The researchers were surprised to find that these results were caused by just half an hour of missed sleep.

The author of the study – Shahrad Taheri, a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in Doha, Qatar, stated “Our findings suggest that avoiding sleep debt could have positive benefits for waistlines and metabolism, and that incorporating sleep into lifestyle interventions for weight loss and diabetes might improve their success.”

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