It may be better for a person to sleep than go to the gym!

Anyone looking to lose pounds has experienced the early morning debate - get up and go to the gym or sleep a little longer. The struggle is real! Sleep vs Exercise. Well, now there is new research showing a person should not feel guilty about staying in a bed a little longer. In fact, the extra sleep might help someone lose pounds.

According to Cosmopolitan magazine, the experts say getting enough sleep is just as vital to losing weight as eating right and going to the gym. Yes, spending an extra hour curled up in bed could help a person and not hurt them.

“Sleeping less than 7-8 hours per night is linked to higher percent body fat. Research suggests that people who average 6 hours per night are 27% more likely to be overweight. Those who average 5 hours per night are 73% more likely to be overweight,” said Dr. Guy Meadows, who is working with Philips on new Somneo Sleep and Wake-up Light.

It all comes down to two hormones, Ghrelin and Leptin, explained the doctor. He said Ghrelin regulates appetite and how hungry a person feels, while Leptin regulates the feeling of fullness that tells a person when to stop eating. A good night's sleep will increase Leptin and decrease Ghrelin, which means a person will feel full and eat less.

Another reason sleep is beneficial to losing weight, is that a person is less likely to make poor food choices after a decent night of rest.

“Research suggests that poor sleep causes us to choose higher calorific food. Scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden demonstrated that sleep deprived individuals select foods that are on average 9% higher in calories than when in a rested state," revealed Dr. Meadows.

Finally, getting more sleep will help a person lose weight because of their workouts. When someone gets a poor night’s sleep, research shows his or her workouts are less effective. Sleep deprivation is bad for muscle building and can harm the fat burning tissues in muscles.

As if someone needed an excuse to get more sleep, the good news is that it can help a person lose weight. A good night’s sleep helps with appetite, food choices, and workouts!

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