Sleeplessness can affect weight loss

I've read a lot lately about how lack of sleep can affect weight loss and gain. Those magazine articles always interest me because I haven't slept a full night since the day I lit up with my first hot flash.

Seriously.

Any woman past age 50 reading this is probably nodding right now because she knows what I'm talking about.

To find out how much of what I'd been reading was fact or fiction, I talked with Dr. Gabe Tallent, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Erlanger.

"There's no question that sleep issues, sleep deprivation or disturbed sleep all interfere with weight loss and even contribute to weight gain," he said.

"There is quite a bit of data that shows a reduced total of sleep time per night is associated with higher prevalence of obesity. Even in people who sleep seven to eight hours a night as compared to people who sleep five to six hours there is a significant increase."

Who knew I could have used insomnia as a weight-gain excuse all these years?

We've all heard how obesity is linked to sleep apnea, but Tallent explained that sleep apnea can affect hormone levels that contribute to your feeling of fullness after eating.

"The hormone that signals satiety is decreased with sleep apnea," he said. "Conversely, the hormone called ghrelin is increased in sleep apnea, and that stimulates hunger.

"It can be a vicious cycle," he said. "Not getting enough sleep can lead to a whole host of problems that give rise to a situation where it's easier to gain weight. As you gain weight, it can lead to more sleep problems at night. It really can be a tough cycle to break out of unless you seek help."

Tallent said he's heard people claim "they can go on four or five hours of sleep a night," but stated the average person needs at least seven hours of rest.

On a good night I might get five. That's too little, the specialist told me.

Its aggravating to wake up at 3 or 4 a.m. and lie there fretting over the fact I have to get up in a few hours and can't go back to sleep. Or I start making lists in my head of things I need to do, and that leaves me wired.

Tallent shared some tips to help those of us making 3 a.m. to-do lists.

"If you are frustrated about lying there and feel you can't go to sleep, you should get up and go to a different room," he said.

"I recommend lightweight reading with low-level lighting. Don't pick up something you'll get involved in, but magazine-type reading, until you feel your eyelids get heavy, then go back to the bedroom."

Tallent said he recommends reading over turning on the TV because the light from a television or computer monitor is bright enough to signal the brain it's time to wake up.

For more information on Erlanger's sleep center, you can check its website at www.erlanger.org/sleep or call 778-3316.

"Many of us lie down in bed with a lot of thoughts on our mind and turning on a fan or white-noise machine may help distract us."

He added that if it's bathroom trips waking folks up at night, there might be underlying problems that need to be addressed such as enlarged prostate or untreated sleep apnea.

"So many people say they are just destined to be poor sleepers because their family members have been, and they don't realize they can get help. When sleep is off, it can interfere with almost every aspect of your life and health. I encourage anyone who is experiencing any difficulty with sleep to be evaluated," said the doctor.

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