It’s
hard being a college student. Between balancing our school load, working and
having a social life there isn’t much time for anything else, especially sleep.
Too often we spend the late hours of the night finishing assignments or
cramming for a test. Those of us who manage to get our work done early head out
to spend time with our friends or put in a few hours at the gym. Although we
feel we have our priorities straight we may be losing out on what so many
people our age strive for; our ideal weight.
With
an obesity epidemic at hand people are looking for anything and everything to
slim down. Diet pills, fad diets and the newest boot camps are often where we
look for this quick fix. A good night’s sleep is often put on the backburner to
everything else we have going on, but it may be just the thing we need to
maintain that healthy weight.
Study
after study has shown a direct correlation between the amount of sleep a person
gets and their weight. Research has shown that a poor sleep could alter a
person’s metabolism, making it easier to gain weight. A recent study at Uppsala
University in Sweden found that the area in the brain that influences a
person’s appetite has higher activity levels after one night of sleep loss. Simply
put, being tired makes you want to eat more.
Losing
out on all those ZZZs can have a big impact on our ability to stay healthy. Here
are a few tips to getting a more restful sleep:
·
Try to keep a regular sleep schedule
·
Avoid large amounts of caffeine
·
Avoid alcohol before bed
·
Keep your room cool
·
Nap responsibly
The next time you think about
staying out those extra couples hours keep in mind what it could be costing
you. Just as we take the time to run those couple of miles or skip the burger
for a salad we need to make a personal effort ensure we sleep well.
Callie Gilliland
I didn’t realize it until I read this blog, but I definitely eat more when I am tired. I just got home from a long rough night at work prefaced by 2 tests at school and I’m exhausted. All I want to do is eat; in fact I stopped and got Chinese for myself because I know they give way to much food. I think having a good amount of sleep helps us think more clearly and in turn eat better. The study makes great sense to me. As hard as it may be to juggle all we do as college students, I agree that taking the time to get enough sleep is worth our while.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Kane
I really enjoyed your post. I agree with the study results that correlate less sleep with weight. When I feel tired, I reach for the easiest, nearest food and it is not always the most healthy. In fact, when I am exhausted, I tend to overeat and it seems as if my brain doesn't recognize the satiety cues. Another good point you could have made is the effect television and screen media have on quality sleep. Studies have shown watching tv or screen media before bed disrupts the REM cycle and this in turn affects the quality/quantity of sleep a student will receive.
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