Toddlers Who Sleep Less May Eat More

TUESDAY, March 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Toddlers who get too little sleep tend to eat more and are at increased risk for obesity, a new study indicates.

The study included children in over 1,300 British families who had their sleep measured when they were 16 months old and their diet checked when they were 21 months old.

Those who slept less than 10 hours a day consumed about 10 percent more calories than those who slept more than 13 hours, according to the study in the International Journal of Obesity.

This is the first study to link amount of sleep to calorie consumption in children younger than 3 years, the University College London (UCL) researchers said. They suggested that shorter sleep may disrupt the regulation of appetite hormones.

"We know that shorter sleep in early life increases the risk of obesity, so we wanted to understand whether shorter sleeping children consume more calories," Dr. Abi Fisher, of the Health Behavior Research Centre at UCL, said in a university news release.

"Previous studies in adults and older children have shown that sleep loss causes people to eat more, but in early life parents make most of the decisions about when and how much their children eat, so young children cannot be assumed to show the same patterns," she added.

Although the study found an association between toddler's sleeping less and eating more, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The main message from the study "is that shorter-sleeping children may [be] prone to consume too many calories. Although more research is needed to understand why this might be, it is something parents should be made aware of," Fisher concluded.

-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: University College London, news release, March 24, 2014

View the original article here

Lose Weight While You Sleep? Yes, Sleep is That Powerful

Late-night munchies can wreck havoc on your diet plans so the next time they strike, hit the sack instead. The more sleep you get, the less likely you are to succumb to delicious temptation, and the faster you’ll lose weight.

More studies are showing a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain, says Meredith Barbour, MD, a family medicine physician at Duke Primary Care Brier Creek. “Lack of sleep triggers the release of hormones that stimulate hunger and appetite, especially for those high-calorie, carbohydrate-dense foods like cookies, chips and ice cream,” she says. Going to sleep is the best way to satisfy that craving.

Sleep deprivation occurs more regularly in people who routinely get less than seven hours of shut-eye at night. “Generally speaking, adults should aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night,” Barbour recommends.

Weight gain isn’t the only health problem associated with lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation can impair your daytime performance and decrease your levels of alertness. That can put you at increased risk for all kinds of accidents. Sleep deprivation can also put you in a bad mood, make you irritable; cause you to suffer from low energy and increased tension.

There are serious ramifications too. Lack of sleep can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. “It can also have a negative effect on the body’s immune system, which makes it more difficult to fight off infections, such as respiratory viruses and the common cold,” said Barbour.

If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, heed this advice:

Maintain a regular sleep scheduleAvoid caffeine after lunchAvoid alcohol near bedtimeAvoid screen stimuli from televisions, computers, tablets and your smart phone for at least one hour prior to bedtimeExercise regularlyRelaxation techniques also help. When you are ready to fall asleep, relax every muscle in your body, starting with your facial muscles, and moving down to your toes, one at a time, until you’re fully relaxed.

“If these methods don’t work, talk to your doctor who may be able to suggest alternative treatment options,” said Barbour. It is also important to consult with your doctor before trying any over the counter sleep aids or herbal remedies.

View the original article here

OSA a Focus at 27th Annual SLEEP Meeting

Cole Petrochko

Staff Writer

Cole Petrochko started his journalism career at MedPage Today in 2009, after graduating from New York University with B.A.s in Journalism and Psychology. When not writing for MedPage Today, he blogs about nerd culture, designs websites, and buys and sells collectible card game cards. He is based out of MedPage Today's Little Falls, N.J. Headquarters.

View the original article here