Testing It Up

A recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity revealed that people whose stress levels were high, and who had poor quality sleep, were less likely to achieve a weight loss goal of 10 lbs.

According to a feature on Time.com, the study was led by Dr. Charles Elder of Kaiser Permanente Center for Health and Research in Portland, Oregon, and involved 472 obese adults over the age of 30. Obese was qualified as those who had BMIs between 30 and 50; 83 percent were women, while 25 percent were senior citizens over the age of 65.

The participants were enrolled in a weight loss program that consisted of weekly group counseling sessions, keeping a food diary, exercising for at least three hours per week, reducing daily calorie consumption by 500 calories, and following a low-fat, low-salt diet which is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

Researchers noted certain lifestyle measures, which included stress levels, quality of sleep, and depression, at the beginning of the study, and again after six months.

Sixty percent of the participants were able to lose at least 10 lbs – the threshold that allowed them to move on to the second phase of the trial. Based on the results of the first phase, researchers were able to determine that several factors, including exercise, keeping a food diary, and attending behavioral counseling sessions had a strong link to successful weight loss.

In addition to these factors, the study was also able to determine that sleep quality and stress are influential predictors of successful weight loss. Participants who slept little or too much, and reported high stress levels, were less likely to meet the 10-lb weight loss goal.

With all the distractions that the people of today have and the kind of careers that they pursue, more and more people tend to skimp on what ought to be an important activity in daily life: sleep. And it is probably taking more of a toll on quality of life than most people are willing to believe.

A feature on WebMD gives several good reasons why you should always get enough sleep.

The first reason is the most important from an over-all perspective: sufficient sleep = better health in general. While sufficient sleep alone will not render a person impenetrable by disease, it has been established via several documented studies that lack of sleep can lead to such health issues as heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Another rather obvious benefit that can be derived from sleep: being less prone to injury. Have you been kind of a klutz lately, bumping into things, not alert as you used to be? Then check your sleeping habits, as lack of sleep can lead to exhaustion, which can lead to accidents, or to loss of memory and an inability to focus during critical instances.

Lack of sleep also has an immediate impact on how you start your day. If you don’t get enough sleep, then chances are, you will wake up cranky, and stay that way all day. And if sleep deprivation becomes a habit and the norm, it can affect your mood in more serious ways, evolving into depression and anxiety.

These are but a few of the reasons why one should always get enough sleep – but they should be enough to encourage us to hit the sack for about a third of our day!