If you’re trying to lose weight, you probably pay attention to what you eat and how much you exercise. But new research suggests another factor might matter: when you go to sleep.
Researchers at New York University studied 196 adults with prediabetes who regularly slept fewer than 6½ hours a night.
Over eight weeks, everyone received guidance on healthy eating, exercise and stress management. Half also received coaching to improve their sleep habits and gradually move their bedtimes earlier.
Those who fell asleep earlier tended to lose more weight. Each hour earlier was associated with 1.3 pounds of additional weight loss.
The findings, published in Nursing Research, don’t prove that going to bed earlier causes weight loss.
Still, the connection is intriguing.
Earlier bedtimes might mean fewer opportunities for late-night snacking. Sleep timing may also affect appetite and how the body processes food.
The practical advice remains familiar: Get enough sleep, maintain a reasonably consistent schedule, eat well, and exercise regularly.
If you’re routinely staying up late and not getting enough rest, moving bedtime earlier might be worth trying.
Just don’t expect the pounds to disappear overnight.
Holly Kouvo is a personal trainer, functional aging specialist, senior fitness specialist, brain health trainer, writer, and speaker.