June 2, 2006, Newsletter Issue #19: Sleeping Beauty: Penelope Cruz's Secrets of Staying Naturally Thin

Tip of the Week

Penelope Cruz Doesn't seem to have body weight problems but she decided to start a healthier life style so she quit smocking, started exercising, meditating, and paying more attention to sleep quality.

Penelope claims that sleeping 12 hours a day helps her to remain naturally thin. Can it be true?

The Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that getting enough sleep may help reduce weight gain while sleep deprivation alters important hormone levels resulting in increased appetite. The journal published results of clinical study showing that during sleep restriction, there was an 18% decrease in the appetite-reducing hormone leptin, 24% increase in hunger, and 23% increase in appetite.

"This is a new and very exciting area of research which raises the possibility that lack of sleep may be an unrecognized and potentially modifiable risk factor for obesity," explained Jean-Philippe Chaput of Laval University in Quebec, Canada.

Sleep seems to be as important as nutrition and exercise in a healthy diet plan. Americans sleep an average of 6 hours instead of recommended 8 hours minimal. Poor sleep can be seen as a symptom of a stressful lifestyle, which adds to the obesity risk as well.

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