watervole | Lack of sleep and obesity

This isn't actually very recent news, but I was reminded of it by a friend who linked to an article in the Guardian showing that the link between obesity and lack of exercise isn't as clear cut as often assumed.

I became very aware of the link between lack of sleep and obesity through having two friends who suffered from sleep apnea - that's a nasty condition that keeps waking you up in the night. Obesity makes sleep apnea worse - but - and it's a big but - sleep apnea also makes the obesity worse, setting up a vicious circle that is staggeringly difficult to break out of.

There seems to be a connection with hormones. In a nutshell, if you don't get enough sleep, it affects the hormones that regulate appetite.

So, if you have a weight problem, try going to bed an hour or two earlier. You may find it makes a surprising difference.

There's also a connection between lack of sleep and depression It used to be thought that lack of sleep was a symptom of depression. It now seems likely that it's another of those circles and that lack of sleep can actually help cause depression.

In the case of depression, I suspect it's not only necessary to get more sleep, but to try and find techniques to relax and unwind before going to sleep.

(One of the many reasons I enjoy cross stitch is that it's a very good way of mentally relaxing in the last half hour before going to bed. I'd recommend it to anyone)

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This is fascinating, I am an obese, insomniac depressive and find it very difficult to lose weight. Until recently that is, I have no idea why but I am sleeping better than I have done in years and although I'm not dieting as such I have lost a little weight. I no longer feel hungry all the time so eat less.

Fascinating! It sounds like you're a living example that it works.

I'd do all you can to keep up the good sleep.

my best tips are half an hour of cross-stitch followed by ten mins of meditation before bed and to aim to be in bed by 10:30.

The weird thing is the better sleep started when I was given a dream catcher and told to hang it over my window. But that also was about 2 weeks after I gave up chocolate because I discovered it activated my IBS so the reduction in whatever the chemical constituents of chocolate are may have more to do with the good sleep than the dream catcher. All so looking back I started putting on weight and sleeping less at the same time when I started my O levels and the periods I have lost weight have been times of zero stress. Why didn't the scientist realise this 40 years ago?!

I enjoy cross stitch but I can't do it before sleeping as it needs more concentration than I have at that point. If I'm not reading something light enough I usually end up with a half hour non taxing comedy - something like Scrubs which I can enjoy but doesn't demand brain power.
Unless I'm stressed of course, in which case something like Scrubs is no good as my mind wanders and it has to be something with more plot such as Eureka.

One of the many reasons I enjoy cross stitch is that it's a very good way of mentally relaxing in the last half hour before going to bed. I'd recommend it to anyone

Knitting works very well, too. I think anything that keeps the hands moderately busy and doesn't require too much from the brain would be good, such as an easy to read book, for instance.

As for the weight gain, I believe (and the article says as much) that this also has to do with the type of food that is easily available. The easiest foods (a.k.a. fast foods) are all high calorie foods. More importantly, those are the foods that are advertised all the time. I've seen lots of ads for pizzas, candy bars and other high calorie, low nutrition stuff, but never once for broccoli. So those are the foods that come to mind when you've got the munchies.

One of the reasons I've lost weight during the past year is that I've been eating many more vegetables than previously and no more chocolate or other sweets at all. Also no fast food whatsoever, I've switched to cooking every meal. It takes a little more work, but the kilograms just disappear and stay away.

Another important tip is portion control. Cook only the amount you're suppose to eat. That way, you can't be tempted to fill up your plate again, because there simply isn't any more food ready for the taking.

My downfall on that one is most of the nice healthy low fat recipies are for 4. I've tried scaling down but dev_iant complains about lack of food and we both end up raiding the fridge or freezer an hour or so later. Normally I end up cooking a 4 person portion between the 3 of us. I know the answer is to fill up on some nice healthy fruit - but I never fancy that in the evening somehow.

Actually, a better answer is to pile the vegetables up on your plate as high as possible. Make sure your tummy is full to bursting with veggies. That ought to take care of at least some of the munchies and most vegetables contain hardly any calories at all, except for beans (not green beans, they're okay) and peas.

Also, there are low calorie snacks. Do you have something called snack a jacks where you live? It's low fat, reasonably low calorie and it tastes a lot like potato chips.

Lastly, reward yourself for being strong with a nice and totally unhealthy snack only once a week. You'll find it tastes much better if you don't eat it all the time.

One of the things I found useful was a bag of prepared baby carrots. They're sweet-tasting, if you get the right variety, so they satisfy the craving for something sweet, but they also full you up a lot better than sweets do. And the ready-prepared ones don't take any more effort than unwrapping a bar of chocolate...

I agree that more veg and less/no sweets are a very important part of the solution.

Icon envy!

I spent several years working with the NCT and saw loads of new mums where lack of sleep clearly caused immense stress and may well have contributed to depression. Trying to cope with a new baby is exhausting, add on lack of sleep when the baby wakes every few hours and the fact that some are in effect single parents as husband is away a lot and you secanb see one reason why post natal depression can be common.

Obesity makes sleep apnea worse - but - and it's a big but - sleep apnea also makes the obesity worse, setting up a vicious circle that is staggeringly difficult to break out of.

Yep. I resemble that remark.

Here she lies in a fleecy gown
By my side in the eiderdown
But she can't get a ticket to Morning Town
Cause I've got restless legs

Boring though this film may be
Slumber still won't visit thee
So long as you stay next to me
For I have restless legs

Milky drink and Sudafed
"That should sort you out" she said
As I kicked myself clean out of the bed
And raised my restless legs

Homeopathic Cures I've sought
All in all they've come to naught
I wish it was some astronaut
Who had these restless legs

4:06 and I'm wide awake
Got an uncontrollable urge to take
A 5-mile hike around the Ogwen Lake
Just to stretch these restless legs

No sympathy from Uncle Greg
Nor indeed from Auntie Meg
Well Thank God I'm not Jake the Peg
With an extra restless leg

So come the day when I don't exist
And worms are flying through the graveyard mist
Don't go calling the exorcist
It's just my restless legs
It's just my restless legs
It's just my restless legs

By coincidence, I wrote a blog post about sleep, sleep apnea, and obesity today, just before I saw your posts. If you are interested, I linked to some of the summaries of the scientific studies which have looked into these issues. Thanks. Here is the link:
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/blogs/stevepocetamd/sleep-apnea-and-weigh-8711

Lack of sleep and obesity

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Sleep apnea and obesity