This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Not getting your rest? It could be the mystery behind your weight gain

Most of us know the health risks from not getting enough sleep. It affects all the body's functions in a negative way─including the efforts of anyone trying to lose weight. But why?

By Dr. Ayotunde Adeyeri

Most of us know the health risks from not getting enough sleep. It affects all the body’s functions in a negative way─including the efforts of anyone trying to lose weight. But why? Sleep deprived people will often resort to filling up on empty calories because the body mistakes the need for sleep as a need for food (and not the good stuff).

Our nutritional team here at Sterling Surgicare has warned our bariatric patients about the dangers of sleep deprivation for years now.

Find out what's happening in Holmdel-Hazletwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Recently, researchers asked 16 men to select the ideal serving size of meals and snacks before and after they ate breakfast on two separate mornings: Once after sleeping for eight hours, and again after they didn’t sleep at all. Not surprisingly, the sleepy men chose larger portions of all the foods before they ate breakfast. They also were significantly more likely to reach for snack foods—even after a morning meal.

Although it is often easier said than done (this is coming from a surgeon who often works around the clock) the best way to offset sleep-deprived overeating is to get your seven or eight hours of sleep─no matter what. And not just your waistline will benefit—you’ll also be doing your heart and other organ functions a favor by giving them some well earned down time. It’s also beneficial for the mind to take some time off as well.

Find out what's happening in Holmdel-Hazletwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Regardless of how many hours you are able to sleep at night, save 15 minutes every morning to prepare and enjoy a protein-rich, high-fiber breakfast that includes chicken, eggs, plain Greek yogurt or unsweetened oatmeal with some raw almonds or walnuts. Top it off with a big glass of water to restart the body’s hydration system.

If you haven’t been able to get a full night’s rest, perhaps you can find 30-45 minutes to sneak in a cat nap during the day. It will do you, and your pants size, a world of good.

About Dr. Ayotunde Adeyeri

Dr. Adeyeri is a board certified, University of Rochester fellowship-trained advanced laparoscopic, bariatric and general surgeon. He is medical director at Sterling Surgicare; medical director of the Institute for Weight Loss, Raritan Bay Medical Center; and co-medical director at Central Jersey Bariatrics. Dr. Adeyeri is on staff at Raritan Bay Medical Center, CentraState Medical Center and Bayshore Community Hospital. To schedule a surgical consultation at his office in Holmdel, Old Bridge or Freehold, call (732) 217 – 3897.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?