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"Our data show that reducing sleep increases energy and fat intakes, which may explain some of the association observed between sleep and obesity," says Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a NYORC research associate. "If sustained, the dietary choices made by individuals undergoing short sleep would predispose to obesity and increased risk of cardiovascular disease."
On two occasions, St-Onge and her colleagues kept 13 men and 13 women in a controlled environment for six days. Participants spent nine hours a day in bed during the first session, and only four hours in bed during the second session. Researchers found that people -- especially women -- ate more than 300 calories more per day when they were tired compared to when they were well-rested.
The study was presented at the American Heart Association's Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention conference on Tuesday.
For more on the importance of good sleep, read "How to Take a Nap at Work" from the January issue of Outside.