Health and movement · 1 min read
A little over an extra hour of sleep, about 270 fewer calories per day
Researchers randomized 80 adults with overweight who slept little; those given advice to sleep more ate less over two weeks, according to an estimate.
The study, in plain language
The team wanted to know whether making more room for sleep also changed how much adults with overweight who usually slept little ate. After observing their habits for two weeks, they randomly assigned one group to personalized advice to extend time in bed while the other continued its usual habits.
With this support, sleep increased by a little over an hour per night compared with the other group. Calorie intake, estimated from energy expenditure and changes in the body, was lower, and weight was also lower. Total energy expenditure, however, did not clearly differ. The group was small, from one center, and the change lasted two weeks; it is unknown whether people could sustain it.
The key idea
With advice to sleep more, the group slept longer and its estimated calorie intake fell, but only over two weeks.
Something to think about
After sleeping poorly, do you notice that you eat differently? This study did not ask that; it measured what happened when people slept more over two weeks.
The original study
Effect of Sleep Extension on Objectively Assessed Energy Intake Among Adults With Overweight in Real-life Settings: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Source under CC BY 4.0. English adaptation and explanation by PaperFlow, with AI assistance. The text has been reorganized for a general audience; it is not the complete paper and does not imply endorsement by its authors.
One study alone does not represent a field's consensus. Educational content does not replace professional advice. Report a possible error.