Does insomnia makes you gain weight?

Lack of sleep is one of the major causes for obesity and Type II diabetes, and we are just scratching the surface.

A recent study at the University of Leeds showed that participants with disrupted sleep had higher blood glucose levels even when they did not make any changes to their diet.

This brings focus on much debated topic in modern health and lifestyle: SLEEP.

The modern industrialized world has discarded sleep, and it is synonymous with laziness. The quest for high productivity, efficiency, and deadlines has sacrificed one thing more than an,y and that is sleep.

Unfortunately, millions of years of evolutionary development can not be undone in a few hundred years without any unintended consequences. With the current focus on this vital aspect of our well-being, scientists have just started to find out the physiological impact of lack of sleep.

Obesity, Mental Health, Type II diabetes, and Heart Disease are some conditions for which we have found lack of sleep as a solid contributor. Some doctors have even suggested an increased risk of cancer due to lack of sleep.

With high caffeine and alcohol consumption, modern gadgets, and a constantly stimulating environment, it is getting increasingly difficult for us to get to sleep, whilst the quality of sleep is constantly getting poorer and the length is being reduced. Most people will happily confess to having a 6-hour shut-eye and believe it is sufficient.

A few suggestions to help you sleep better..

1. Have a bedtime routine and no electronics 30 minutes prior to hitting the sack.

2. Make sure the room is dark and void of any red or blue LED lights from the TV or other appliances.

3. Suggested temperature for a good night’s sleep is 17-19 degrees Celsius.

4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. Eat a high fibre diet.

6. Practice mindfulness.