The United States is in the midst of an obesity epidemic: Nearly three-fourths (71 percent) of Americans age 20 and over are超重或肥胖, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
We’re also experiencing what some call a “sleep deprivation epidemic.” Data from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System showed that for this same age group, 35 percent reported getting fewer than seven hours of sleep during a typical 24-hour period, 48 percent reported snoring (a sign that could indicate a sleep disorder calledsleep apnea), 38 percent reported unintentionally falling asleep during the day at least once in the preceding month, and 5 percent said they nodded off or fell asleep while driving at least once in the preceding month.
Research has also shown that people who rarely get enough sleep are more likely to add on extra pounds than those who are well rested. Here’s a look at the connection.
What the science says
Dozens of studies have connected lack of sleep to weight gain. For example, astudy that was published in the journal睡觉医学2014年在11年后，1,145人随后发现，随着时间的推移而变得肥胖的可能性显着高，每晚睡了7个或更少小时。
Findings from asmall study of 16 healthy adults, published inPNAS(Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), found that people who failed to get enough sleep for just one week gained on average about 2 pounds during that brief period of time.
The investigators reported that overall, when the study participants got too little sleep, they consumed more calories than they did when they got a sufficient amount of sleep.
Why does it happen?
The explanation for the link between sleep loss and weight gain is based on several major theories.
•Hormones.研究人员发现，睡眠限制降低了瘦素水平，信号饱腹感的激素。当瘦素低时，即使您的身体不需要更多的卡路里，您的大脑也会收到您应该多吃的信息。
At the same time, sleep restriction increases levels of the hormone ghrelin, which promotes appetite. This hormonal double-punch not only makes you feel hungrier, but also prevents you from feeling sated after eating.
皮质醇 - 一种响应压力情况释放的激素，例如没有足够的睡眠 - 也可能增加食欲。并且神经肽（大脑中产生的小激素）的水平orexin，可以提高食物渴望和消费高脂食品，也可以在不够睡眠的人中升级。
•Insulin resistance.睡眠剥夺似乎使身体更耐受胰岛素和中断健康的葡萄糖代谢。响应胰岛素抵抗，胰腺将额外的胰岛素释放到血液中。
Insulin resistance and extra insulin production can compromise beta-cell function and lead to type 2 diabetes; this combination also promotes the deposition of triglycerides into fat cells, which causes weight gain.
一个小的2012 study in theAnnals of Internal Medicineshowed that after just four nights of restricted sleep (reduced from 8.5 hours to 4.5 hours), the participants’ fat cells became insulin-resistant.
•生活方式。疲倦也可以使其难以保持健康的生活习惯。疲劳可能是运动 - 毕竟疲惫的大障碍，谁在疲惫不堪的时候喜欢去健身房？
It can also play tricks on your mind: People often confuse the feelings of tiredness with hunger, sending them to the kitchen for a snack rather than to the bedroom for a nap. What’s more, sleeping less means more time for eating.
重量也会影响睡眠
Evidence suggests that being overweight or obese makes it harder to get a good night’s sleep. Overweight people are at greater risk of developing sleep apnea, which afflicts some 18 million Americans.
Weight gain—especially in the trunk and neck area—can increase the risk of sleep apnea by compromising respiratory function. People with sleep apnea actually stop breathing during sleep, sometimes hundreds of times a night. When breathing stops, the brain must arouse the person slightly in order to jump-start respiration.
This constant, slight waking up can lead to fragmented, unsatisfying sleep and daytime fatigue, a vicious circle of poor sleep and weight gain that reinforces itself. Excess weight also leads to such conditions as arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease, each of which can affect your ability to get a good night’s rest.
How much do you need?
While most individuals find that they function best on the recommended seven or eight hours of sleep every night, you may need more or less sleep to feel completely rested. Try to get the amount that leaves you feeling alert and refreshed.
If you find that you have trouble falling or staying asleep, talk to your doctor about possible solutions. And if you have to skimp on sleep during the week, attempt to make it up by sleeping longer on the weekend—though there is still no real substitute for getting a full night’s sleep on a daily basis.
Learn more about possible sleep aids, includingPyschotherapy.和褪黑激素.