The connection between sleep and weight management has been thoroughly documented, with multiple studies indicating that insufficient rest may lead to an expanded waistline.
Last month, The New York Times featured a piece on this correlation, citing recent research from the University of California, Berkeley regarding a change in brain health that occurs in people who suffer from limited sleep.
"On days when the subjects had not had proper sleep, fattening foods like potato chips and sweets stimulated stronger responses in a part of the brain that helps govern the motivation to eat," the source stated. In addition, "the subjects experienced a sharp reduction in activity in the frontal cortex […] where consequences are weighed and rational decisions are made."
Now, another study has shed further light on the impact too little sleep may have on an individual's weight loss efforts. According to a press release distributed by ScienceDaily, scientists in Sweden have discovered that people who don't get enough shut-eye could be more prone to spend more at the grocery store the following day. This was determined by setting up a mock-super market and monitoring how much study participants bought.
Colin Chapman, MSc, of Sweden's Uppsala University explained the premise behind the experiment: that lack of sleep would impair judgment and ultimately lead to increased expenditure on unhealthy foods. This hypothesis was supported by his team's findings. As such, the scientists recommended that individuals who were watching their weight should also pay close attention to their sleeping habits.
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