Lack of Sleep Leads to Fat Gain

I wanted to share this research article with you. I have found, from my own experience with clients, that adequate sleep is crucial to weight loss. There have been many times when the client seems to be doing everything right but the weight isn't coming off. This is when we begin to probe deeper. Often times I uncover that the client is sleep deprived. Read on.

The effects of sleep deprivation are slowly gaining attention amongst fitness and wellness professionals. Getting adequate sleep quantity and quality is not only essential to optimizing mental and physical recuperation, it may be essential to preventing obesity.

In a recent study published in the journal Sleep, researchers from Wake Forest University reported that getting less than 5 hours of sleep or more than 8 hours leads to increased intra-abdominal fat when compared to those who sleep for 6 or 7 hours.

More than 1,000 African- and Hispanic-Americans were interviewed to obtain information on sleep habits, nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle. They also participated in a CT scan, which was used to assess both visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat. Baseline measurements were then compared to a re-assessment at 5 years.

Participants who slept less than 5 hours a night experienced a 32% increase in deep abdominal fat over 5 years, while those with averaged more than 8 hours of sleep increased by 22%. Subcutaneous abdominal fat increased similarly.

After factoring in lifestyle factors such as total calorie intake, education levels, physical activity and smoking, sleep duration persisted as an independent risk factor for increased abdominal adiposity, especially in participants under 40.

Researchers offer broad speculation to explain the cause and effect relationship of sleep to fat gain. The primary explanations involved increased daytime fatigue, which limits energy to participate in physical activity. In addition, some believe in the potential for sleep deprivation to inhibit appetite-suppressing hormones, thus leading to overeating.

Although this study replicates previous finding on sleep and abdominal fat, it is the first to assess this factor in minority populations.

Hairston, K.G., et al (2010) Sleep Duration and Five-Year Abdominal Fat Accumulation in a Minority Cohort: The IRAS Family Study. Sleep. 33(03): 289-295.
Amy Norton. (2010) Sleep habits linked to fat gain in younger adults. Reuters Health. March 1^st.

Current ACSM Guidelines for Exercise

The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association have created a set of standards in regard to exercise frequency, intensity, and duration. These standards are outlined below but for more in depth information please visit the ACSM website at

http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=7764

Guidelines for healthy adults under the age of 65 (if the goal is overall health)

DO moderately intense cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes at least 5 x per week

DO vigorously intense cardiovascular exercise for 20 minutes 3 x per week

DO 8-10 strength training exercises, 8-12 repetitions of each exercise, at least 2 x per week

Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still be able to talk. This can also be deemed the "talk test". The "talk test" means that you can talk but you are breathing with some amount of difficulty. Vigorous-intensity exercise is more difficult than moderate-intensity. You will only be able to say a word or two at a time when you are exercising at this level. This is hard work!

It is important to note that the above recommendations are for health purposes only and more time, 60-90 minutes at a time, may be necessary for weight loss and weight maintenance. The 30 minute time recommendation is for healthy adults who wish to maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent chronic disease.

If you don't have enough time in the day to complete a 30 minute chunk of exercise don't give up, research has shown that your moderate-intensity physical activity can be accumulated throughout the day and can be just as effective as exercising for a constant 30 minutes. Here are some helpful suggestions for accumulating your 30 minutes:

1. walk for 10 minutes on your lunch break

2. walk for 10 minutes around the soccer field and cheer on your kids as they play

3. Walk 10 minutes to the grocery store

Wahlah! There you have it. 30 minutes accumulated throughout your day. This is extremely useful when trying to fit physical activity in to an already busy schedule.

Are you getting your daily/weekly amount of recommended exercise? If not, what can you do today to start making exercise and physical activity a part of your every day routine? Any suggestions/comments on how you fit physical activity in to your busy lifestyle? I'd love to hear your ideas.