“Weight-loss” is a scary two letter word that is almost always on the minds of young women and very often leads to a multitude of issues in both men and women. Exercise, Dieting, Avoiding fatty food etc are the most common terms that come to mind on hearing these words. Well, as we have talked about before (check here), weight-loss or maintaining the right weight is more about having the proper kind of lifestyle rather than crash-dieting and trying out ways to lose weight fast.
The very vital ingredient of a healthy lifestyle that is often ignored the most is one’s sleep. Most people don’t pay too much attention to their sleep and tend to either over-sleep or sleep-less. Well, recent studies show that people who sleep fewer than six hours a night or more than nine are more likely to be obese, according to a new government study that is one of the largest to show a link between irregular sleep and big bellies. The study also linked light sleepers to higher smoking rates, less physical activity and more alcohol use.The study released Wednesday is based on door-to-door surveys of 87,000 U.S. adults from 2004 through 2006 conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(Source)
Smoking was highest for people who got under six hours of sleep, with 31 percent saying they were current smokers. Those who got nine or more hours also were big puffers, with 26 percent smoking.
It is a little-known fact that one loses calories while sleeping as well. A 160-pound person who sleeps eight hours a day will lose roughly 549 calories in the process, that’s the reason why we often feel hungry after a nice long sleep. Other easy ways to reduce weight include sitting while talking on the phone for eight hours (it can burn up to 914 calories, no wonder girls are always on the phone). Driving a car for eight hours will knock off around 1,219 calories while standing in a casino for eight hours will burn about 1,402 calories.
Of course, nothing beats the old-fashioned rule to stay fit – eat right, sleep tight and get some kind of exercise.
