I was chatting with a coworker who is extremely conscientious about what he eats. As we were chatting, I was finishing up some very salty tortilla chips, craving a little sea salt caramel ice cream and day dreaming. He advised me he will be participating in a sleep study and went on to discuss the importance of getting enough sleep. “How much sleep is enough?” I asked. “I don’t remember, but it is several hours,” he replied.
According to several studies, none of which I will cite because I am too tired to look them up again, the amount of sleep one needs varies from person to person. On average, however, adults need about seven to eight hours. I’m not sure if that is seven to eight consecutive hours or just seven to eight hours in a twenty-four hour period. If it is the latter, I’m good to go; I’ve ‘rested my eyes’ in more than one meeting during the day.
My coworker went on to tell me how sleep impacts metabolism, which in turn impacts body mass index (BMI). Those who sleep less have an increased BMI and tend to gain weight. Thus, more is less – more sleep should equal less weight.
With this new information before me I decided to go to bed. No need to focus on portion control or exercise. Move over Jenny Craig! Or, just stay in the bed and we can cuddle because I am ready to sleep my weight off.