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PROMOTING WELLNESS
by Mary Jo Dalton, Health Ministry Nurse
First United Methodist Church, Santa Monica, CA
www.SantaMonicaUMC.org :: (310) 393-8258 :: info@santamonicaumc.org

January 18th, 2005

A recent study has found that sleep deprivation increases the risk of developing obesity. The sleep-obesity link showed that people who sleep only six hours or less each night have a greater risk of developing obesity.

Sleep deprivation lowers leptin, a blood protein that suppresses appetite and seems to affect how the brain senses when the body has had enough food. Sleep deprivation also raises levels of grehlin a substance that makes people want to eat. So stop trying to get everything done at night and get your full 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Save the work for the next day when you are rested and ready to take on the business of living well.