WANT TO GET LEANER? SLEEP MORE

What's so great about sleep?

Sleep restores everything in our bodies: Our immune, nervous, skeletal, hormonal, and muscular systems.

Sleep helps regulate our metabolism, including blood sugar and insulin levels. Eventually, chronically inadequate sleep is linked to gaining fat and risks of diabetes.

Sleep helps us make and recall memories. People think, learn, and make decisions better when well-rested. Healthy adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per night, and sometimes more.

More sleep, better health

Sleep regulates our metabolism and helps keep us lean and healthy.

The later we go to bed and the shorter our sleep hours, the more likely we are to gain weight over time.

And because sleep helps regulate our blood sugar, lack of sleep can actually cause or worsen insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In healthy people, they can make the risk factors for those diseases more likely.

An earlier sleep time can also mean less eating.

Many folks find that late night is a comforting time for a snack. At 11 p.m., the snack is rarely steamed broccoli. Staying in bed can reduce the temptation. Plus, being well-rested usually means fewer food cravings and smarter choices the next day.

More sleep makes you feel happier and saner.

Abnormal circadian rhythms have been associated with depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder.