Is sleep making you gain weight? Sleep patterns linked to your waistline
POOR sleep could make you more portly, new research has shown.
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People who sleep six hours a night have waists 3cm thicker on average than individuals who kip for nine hours, the study found.
Scientists compared sleep patterns and waist circumference in 1,615 adults. They found shorter sleepers not only had wider waists, but were heavier.
Sleeping for shorter periods was also linked to reduced blood levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) - the "good" form of cholesterol that helps to keep arteries healthy.
Lack of sleep could affect weight gain, new research shows
Lead researcher Dr Laura Hardie, from the Univesity of Leeds, said: "Because we found that adults who reported sleeping less than their peers were more likely to be overweight or obese, our findings highlight the importance of getting enough sleep.
"How much sleep we need differs between people, but the current consensus is that seven to nine hours is best for most adults."
The findings are published in the journal Public Library of Science ONE.
Previous research has suggested that lack of sleep can stimulate appetite, especially a desire for junk food. But the new study found no relationship between shortened sleep and a less healthy diet.