Scientists have named a key factor that helps to stick to a diet and training regimen

Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh analyzed what factors help people follow weight loss programs. Preliminary results of their study submitted at the EHI Lifestyle Medical Conference hosted by the American Heart Association.

During the experiment, scientists analyzed the performance of 125 adults who signed up for a 12-month weight loss program. Throughout the duration of the program, the researchers monitored several parameters: compliance with the recommended calorie intake, physical activity level and sleep quality (data from wearable devices and self-reported participants).

Sleep quality was assessed by time in bed, sleep duration, satisfaction, and feelings of alertness after waking up. And it turned out that the quality of sleep is really important for those who want to diet and exercise regularly.

After adjusting for age, gender, race, and having a partner sleeping in the same bed, the authors found that people with higher quality scores sleepers were more likely to attend program group sessions, eat within suggested calorie limits, and engage in physical activity.

The authors noted that more than a hundred studies have been devoted to finding a connection between people's weight and how much they sleep. The new experiment showed that we are not talking about the relationship between the amount of sleep and weight directly. In fact, whether we get enough sleep determines whether we are able to make efforts to control weight.

Perhaps the reason is that sleep affects hunger, metabolism, and even the tendency to choose healthier food and activity. This is further proof that improvements in one area of ​​life can lead to other improvements.

The next step is to investigate how effective sleep improvement is in helping to increase physical activity and weight loss in experiments with volunteers. In addition, it is important to expand the sample of volunteers: the original experiment was dominated by white women with an average age of 50 years.

It is also necessary to find out how to act for those who want to improve sleep and lose weight. Do I need to get my sleep in order first, and only then introduce it into the training schedule, or is it better to start these changes at the same time? Scientific data on this topic will probably appear in a few months or years. And while waiting for the results, it will be useful start with yourself: maybe an extra hour of sleep will change your life.