By Dr. Allen S. Josephs Co-Founder & Director, Vitacost.com
I admit I typically do not get enough sleep. Often it seems that there are simply not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needs to be done, leaving little time to rest. But this common bad habit can do more than make you yawn. In fact, sleep deprivation may actually damage your health and lead to long-term problems.
A recent meta-analysis of sleep duration and obesity examined 30 different studies involving nearly 635,000 men, women and children1. Researchers defined short sleep duration as less than 10 hours for children and less than five hours for adults. Analysis of the studies showed a consistent link between short sleep duration and increased body mass index (BMI) and incidence of obesity in both children and adults.
An article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition may shed some light on the link between sleep and obesity2. Researchers studied the eating patterns of 12 men, who slept eight hours for two nights, then were restricted to four hours of sleep for two nights. After sleeping only four hours, the men reported stronger feelings of hunger, which led them to consume 22% more calories than they had eaten after eight hours of sleep.
We all lead busy lives that can sometimes keep us from getting an adequate amount of sleep. If you have trouble winding down at night, I recommend establishing a set bedtime and avoiding caffeine and strenuous activities in the evening hours. I also suggest that you take advantage of the natural relaxing power of herbs and nutrients. Valerian is an herb well-known for its calming properties, and regular use of this root can help you develop healthy sleeping habits. Another helpful product is melatonin, a naturally occurring chemical which can lead to more restful sleep and a healthier tomorrow.
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