Sticking to a healthy food regimen and exercise plan is crucial for people aiming to shed weight. A latest study has revealed how getting regular, uninterrupted sleep will help people adhere to their food regimen and physical activity regime.

The study presented on the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions earlier this month analyzed if good sleep health was linked to how well people responded to the assorted lifestyle modifications prescribed to them in a weight reduction program.

The researchers evaluated the approach to life modifications of 125 participants, who were chubby. The evaluation was based on their group session attendance, caloric intake, and time spent in moderate-vigorous activities.

The sleep quality and habits of the participants were also measured at three intervals through the 12-month program, based on regularity, satisfaction, alertness, timing, and efficiency

Participants, who had higher sleep health, were found to be more regular on the group session, adhered to their caloric intake goals, and showed improvement in time spent in physical activities.

“Specializing in obtaining good sleep–seven to nine hours at night with an everyday wake time together with waking refreshed and being alert throughout the day–may be a crucial behavior that helps people keep on with their physical activity and dietary modification goals,” said Christopher E. Kline, who led the research said.

“A previous study of ours reported that higher sleep health was related to a significantly greater lack of body weight and fat amongst participants in a year-long, behavioral weight reduction program,” Kline added.

Based on the American Heart Association, sleep is certainly one of the important thing components for cardiovascular health, along with other aspects like maintaining a healthy diet food, being physically energetic, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and controlling cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels.

“There are over 100 studies linking sleep to weight gain and obesity, but this was an awesome example showing how sleep is not only tied to weight itself, it’s tied to the things we’re doing to assist manage our own weight. This may very well be because sleep impacts the things that drive hunger and cravings, your metabolism and your ability to control metabolism and the flexibility to make healthy selections on the whole,” Michael A. Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program on the University of Arizona, said.

Published by Medicaldaily.com