LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Is your mattress making you fat? SleepBook.com, sponsored by Sit ‘n Sleep, recently interviewed two sleep experts to find out; their answers were surprisingly candid. Medical studies performed in the past few years are revealing that sleep loss can contribute to weight gain. “It interferes with our circadian rhythms and with the way we regulate our hormones,” William Kohler, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute, says.
There are two hormones that affect the appetite: Leptin and Ghrelin. Leptin communicates that “full feeling,” and when working correctly, suppresses the appetite. Ghrelin communicates the need for more food to keep energy levels up.
When people do not get enough sleep, both hormones are thrown out of whack. Their Leptin goes down, making them feel less satisfied – even when they have had enough food; and their Ghrelin goes up, stimulating the appetite.
“Often, I hear people say they didn’t sleep well, and they were eating just to stay awake. It may be these hormones playing a role,” James P. Krainson, medical director of the South Florida Sleep Diagnostic Center, says.
So, what can people do to avoid sleep-related weight gain? SleepBook.com offers users’ tips and advice for achieving a better night’s sleep as well as a healthier lifestyle.
Visitors to the Sleep Book web site who complete an interactive survey receive a customized, downloadable, Sleep Book with key information and advice for improving one’s personal sleep routine and environment.
Something as simple as a mattress replacement may be the answer.
A poor-quality mattress – unsuited to the person’s body type – is guaranteed to reduce the amount and quality of sleep. This, in turn, could increase the amount of pounds on the body.
Sit ‘n Sleep, the largest mattress retailer in Southern California, is the only retailer in the region to offer a unique, sleep diagnostic center to its customers. At the center, a diagnostic machine makes more than 17,000 calculations to match sleepers with an optimal mattress type.
For more information, visit: www.sleepbook.com.
