8/2/2019 Research in Action 06 - Get Enough Sleep

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Lack of rest ups ghrelin,a `hunger hormone'thatstimulates one's appetite

EVELINE GANeve1ine@mediacorp.com.sgTHE benefits of a good night's sleep gobeyond improving your concentration andoverall well-being. Researchers have foundthat it is also good for your waistline.

Those who consistently fail to getenough sleep may experience weight gain,according to findings presented at Sleep2009 in Seattle last month. The annualmeeting of the Associated ProfessionalSleep Societies is attended by doctors, re-searchers and healthcare professionals.

A study on 92 healthy adults Conduct-ed by University of Pennsylvania foundthat those who had less than the averageamount of sleep gained an average of 1.3kgduring the 11-day experiment.

Another study on 1,000 volunteersconducted by Stanford University in Cali-fornia found that those who slept less thaneight hours a night had higher levels ofbody fat. Those who reportedly slept theleast weighed the most.

The findings are hardly surprisingly,since inadequate sleep affects the hor-mones that help control our appetite andmetabolism, said local sleep specialistDr Lim Li Ling.

According to Dr Lim, who is the direc-tor of Sleep Disorders Unit at SingaporeGeneral Hospital, sleep deprivation is "astressful state which alters our body's hor-monal environment".

Lack of sleep decreases the level ofleptin, a hormone that makes one feel fullafter eating. It also increases the level gh-relin, a "hunger hormone" that stimulatesone's appetite. This results in overeatingand we ight gain, said Dr Lim.

"People who don't get enough sleepmay also feel tired and exercise less," sheadded.

For those who have less sleep becausethey stay up late, eating habits such asbingeing on calorie-laden foods to stay

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awake may be the reason behind the weightgain, said Ms Lim Su Lin, chief dietitian andsenior manager at National University Hos-pital's dietetics department.

"To stay awake, they may resort todrinking high-sugar, caffeinated beveragesor munching on tidbits," said Ms Lim. Theymay pile on the pounds as a result.

To control your appetite through theday, Ms Lim recom mended sticking to threemain meals a da y at fixed times, and includ-ing fibre to your meals.

Fibre, which can be found in vegeta-bles, fruits and whole grains, makes youfeel full and thus deters snacking. Startingthe day with a wholesome breakfast canalso help you avoid binge eating later inthe day.For another group of people, the prob-lem may be more serious than weightgain.

A substantial number of Singaporeanssuffer from sleep disorders. Dr Lim esti=mated that 10 to 30 per cent of the localpopulation have insomnia and up to 15 percent have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

OSA is a condition where a person'supper airways are blocked during sleep."When breathing is interrupted duringsleep, the quality of sleep is affected," shesaid. Poor sleep is known to be as detri-mental as lack of sleep.

So what constitutes a good night'ssleep?

"It is simply one from which we wakeup naturally (without an alarm clock), feel-ing refreshed, alert and able to function atpeak mental performance," said Dr Lim. Aperson who sleeps well would not need tonap in the middle of the day.

The amount of sleep a person requiresvaries with age. According to Dr Lim, new-borns may need as much as 16 to 20 hours,spread throughout the day, while youngchildren should get 9 to 10 hours and teen-agers, 8 to 9.5 hours.

Adults require 6 to 10 hours of sleep."Although some people take pride ingetting by with very little sleep, most peoplewho get fewer than five to six hours daily areprobably not getting enough," said Dr Lim.

TUESDAY JULY 28, 20og 25 TODAY

HOW TO GET A GOODNIGHT'S RESTDr Lim Li Ling, director of SleepDisorders Unit at Singapore GeneralHospital, gives you a few pointers. Try to go to bed and w ake up ataround the same time. Y our sleep-wake patterns are regulated by aninternal "clock" that dictates whenyou feel sleepy. When your dailyactivities synchronise w ith yourinternal clocks, you wil l naturallysleep better. If you can't fall asleep within15 to 20 minutes, leave the bedroomand do something relaxing, such asreading or l istening to soft music.You should only return to bed whenyou feel sleepy again, however-longit takes. If you have insom nia, you shouldnot read, watch TV or work in bed.Associating the bed with othertypes o f activities, espe cially if theyare stimulating, wil l make it harder

to fall asleep. Avoid caffeine -a stimulant thatcan stay in your body for over

io hours - and stimulating activitiesclose to bedtime. Stimulatingactivities include vigorous exercise,intense work and exciting TVprogrammes. Long afternoon naps make i tdifficult for you to fall asleep at

night and should be avoided. A daily ritual to help you relax at the

end of the day is a good lead-up tosleep . This can take the form of ataking a warm bath , dimming thelights, reading quietly or listening tosoft music.