The best news: Sleeping longer may be the key
to reaching your health and weight loss goals. According to a new study from researchers at King's
College London, people who snooze for an extra hour or so could end up
consuming fewer sugars and carbohydrates.
With 21 participants involved, the study was admittedly
small; it was also a pilot, meaning more studies would be required to support
its findings. Researchers recruited 42 people: half received a sleep consultation
intended to up their time in bed by as many as 1.5 hours each night, while the
other half proceeded with their bedtime habits as usual. Each person got an
individualized set of instructions—no caffeine before bed; set a pre-sleep
routine that promotes relaxation; don't go to bed too full or too hungry—and a
suggested time to hit the hay.
Over the next week,
participants wore motion sensors to bed and kept diaries detailing their sleep
patterns and daily diets. The study found that 86 percent of those in the
sleep-consultation group ended up spending more time in bed, and half of them
slept longer: between 52 and 90 minutes longer, to be exact. That extra sleep
may have been less restful, which researchers chalk up to it being a new habit.
Among the control group, researchers saw no change.
