You've probably heard that being sleep-deprived leads to over-eating. A new study from Columbia University quantified this overeating, finding that women who slept four hours in a night ate an average of 329 additional k calories and 31 grams of fat the next day. Men fared better, consuming only 263 additional kcalories and minimal additional fat. Maybe not surprisingly, fast food and, especially,ice cream, were the foods of choice for the overtired. While 329 kcalories might not seem significant, keep in mind that there are 3500 kcalories in 1 pound of fat.All other things being equal, a woman who is sleep-deprived 10 days per month for a year would gain 12 pounds. And tired people are generally less likely to exercise at levels that maintain or reduce weight. So, fatigue is a double-whammy. Fatigue raises levels of ghrelin, which stimulates hunger, and lowers leptin levels, which affect satiety(fullness.) Plus, there is the psychological feeling that one needs more fuel when one is tired. Don't lose the battle of the bulge first thing in the morning; skip the Nurse Jackie episode you missed, put down your laptop, and have a glass of warm (low fat) milk. From the movie: Merryweather : "It looks awful." Flora: "That's because it's on you."
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