SLEEP AWAY THE POUNDS
The ‘Sleep’ diet has a few names; the most popular being Sleep Away the Pounds and Sleep-n-Slim. This seems to be a copycat of Body Solutions diet which was popular around 5 years ago. Based on recent scientific studies, you can burn off calories while sleeping, and you won’t be eating while doing so!
Foods Encouraged: It’s all about sleeping instead of eating- get8-10 hours of sleep each night
Foods Restricted: Instead of eating, just sleep
Premise and Guidelines: The idea of "snooze it to lose it" is supposedly based on solid research on the relationship between obesity and sleep. This regimen promotes getting sufficient sleep to help you achieve weight loss. A study examining how sleeping patterns and obesity interact was accomplished by the University of Columbia. Their findings indicate that if you only get 2-4 hours of sleep a night - you are 73% more likely to be obese than a normal sleeper receiving7-8 hours of sleep a night. There seems to be a ratio as well; with 5 hours a night, you are 50% more likely to be obese; with 6 hours a night, you are 23% more likely to be obese; and with 10+ hours, you are11% less likely to be obese. While this indicates that you can drop your chances to be overweight by sleeping, the remaining percentage seems to point towards other factors, such as genetics and/or diet practices.
The theory is that sleep deprivation affects the hormones responsible for hunger, Ghrelin, and satiety, Leptin. Lack of sleep over a long period of time can cause a rise in the levels of Ghrelin and a decrease in Leptin. This imbalance can trigger overeating.
Research performed by Eve Van Cauter shows some even worse new about lack of sleep- according to her studies, not only will you feel hungrier when you are sleep-deprived, but you will also crave more calorie-dense foods. Getting plenty of rest refreshes the body allowing it to function efficiently each day. Your body burns 65% of its daily calories to keep your basic body functions going while you are awake. Ideally, when you sleep, your body should convert fat into adenosine triphoshate (ATP), the chemical energy your body uses as fuel. Sleeping, therefore, should boost your metabolism.
According to the data, weight loss happens when you find your optimal sleep length. The majority of people need seven to nine hours of sleep per night, but this can vary according to individual. Sleeping 10 hours or more each night may be unrealistic for most of us, but a good goal is eight hours each night. There is substantial medical evidence indicating that our sleeping patterns do have a correlation with our weight and hormonal balance. While sleeping more probably isn’t enough to even call a ‘diet’ and may not get you the weight-loss you expect, it would be wise to incorporate it into your wellness program.