There’s a good bit of interesting news out recently on sleep and its effect on overall health. First, from
MSNBC.com, we heard about a European study that showed a relationship between sleep deprivation and diminished metabolism.
According to the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers showed that just a single night’s sleep slowed the participants’ metabolism for the following day, so that their bodies used less energy for tasks like breathing and digestion. So while participants didn’t eat more when they slept less, their bodies burned less energy. That’s not great for folks trying to maintain a healthy weight.
Need more motivation to get to bed on time? NPR just did an interesting
piece on how little sleep teens typically get – and what that does to their growing minds and bodies. It’s chock full of tips for encouraging teens to get to bed earlier, so that they’re in better shape to meet all the demands coming at them. Take a look, and see if you’re inspired to try for an early night yourself. Your body will thank you!