A recent study conducted by researchers at Kings College, London has found that sleeping longer every night is one of the best ways by which a person can curb sugar cravings, thus resulting in a healthier diet. The study report is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
According to the study, a human being should sleep a minimum of seven hours a day. Missing out on this recommended minimum sleeping hours will result in various health issues like obesity and cardiovascular disorders.
Increase your sleep and improve your health
During the study, the researchers found that more than a third of adults in the United Kingdom are not getting this recommended sleep, which results in various health issues in their lives. The randomised control trial conducted by the researchers analyzed the feasibility of increasing sleep hours in adults who are sleep deprived. In the meantime, the researchers also looked into the change in their eating habit when the sleeping hours are increased.
The study was conducted on 21 subjects, whose sleeping time was extended by 1.5 hours per night. 21 control group participants were also involved in this study, and their sleeping time was not altered.
The researchers found that extending the sleep time has resulted in a 10-gram reduction in the intake of free sugars compared to baseline levels. People whose sleeping time was extended also showed a considerable decrease in the amount of carbohydrates they eat in a day.
Haya Al-Khatib, the lead author of this study, said that extending the sleeping time of individuals will lead to healthier food choices, thus making them stay away from diseases associated with diet.
"Sleep duration and quality is an area of increasing public health concern and has been linked as a risk factor for various conditions. Our results suggest that increasing time in bed for an hour or so longer may lead to healthier food choices. This further strengthens the link between short sleep and poorer quality diets that has already been observed by previous studies," said Haya Al-Khatib.
