A: Duration of sleep is directly proportional to a weight loss. If you do not sleep for at least 7 hours a night you a will be gaining weight.

Weight Loss & Weight Gain

There is a direct relationship between sleep and weight loss. More accurately, this relationship is between sleep deprivation and weight gain, not a weight loss, as reported by research studies. 70,000 observed women over 16 years showed that if they sleep 5 hours or less per night are:

• 32% more likely to experience major weight gain (defined as an increase by over 30 pounds)
• 15% more likely to become obese when compared to those who slept 7 hours a night
• Lack of sleep can affect weight by increasing hunger and fatigue 
• Sleep deprived women consume less food then those who slept 7 hours a night or more
• Sleep deprivation causes weight gain by the growth hormone, leptin and cortisol.

How Sleep Affects Growth Hormone

Growth hormone stimulates growth. Lack of growth hormone in children leads to a shorter height and delaying adolency

• This hormone makes considerable impact on adults as well
• Growth hormone is an anabolic hormone, which help to: �
  • increase muscle mass
  • stimulate fat breakdown
• Reduction of growth hormone in adults produces several negative effects, such as:
  • loss of muscle tissue
  • increase in fat production
  • decline in energy levels
  • resulting in undesirable weight gain and difficulty losing weight
• The growth hormone, which is produced at night during deep sleep, declines when sleep deprivation or the inability to attain deep sleep take place 

Restoring Sleep to Lose Weight

• Sleep quality in most people  is declineas as they age
• Since quality of sleep and sleep duration reflects weight loss, that is the reasons to gain weight as we age.

Watch Video: The Connection Between Sleep and Weight Loss