Simple bedtime change may help some individuals lose weight, study finds

Falling asleep earlier was linked to greater weight loss in adults with prediabetes, according to new research.An analysis of data from a randomized trial led by the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing found that each hour earlier participants fell asleep was associated with roughly 1.3 pounds of weight loss over eight weeks, although the finding does not prove that moving bedtime earlier causes weight loss."When we fall asleep — not just how much we sleep — seems to be an important and overlooked factor for weight loss and metabolic health," Susan Kohl Malone, an assistant professor at the nursing college and the study's lead author, said in a press release.POPULAR WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS MAY PREVENT PREDIABETES FROM TURNING INTO DIABETESThe investigation, published in the journal Nursing Research, evaluated 196 adults diagnosed with prediabetes who routinely logged fewer than 6.5 hours of sleep nightly.

Half the group took part in an eight-week lifestyle education course on diet, exercise and stress.Going to bed earlier was linked to weight loss in adults with prediabetes, independent of the total number of hours they spent asleep.(iStock)The other half received the same training alongside behavioral coaching meant to get them to go to bed earlier in gradual phases.DIETITIAN REVEALS SIMPLE EATING STRATEGY FOR BETTER SLEEP — AND ONE HABIT TO AVOIDResearchers tracked participants’ blood sugar, sleep and activity using sensors, sleep logs and wrist-worn monitors.Neither group showed significant improvements in blood sugar.

Both groups lost weight, but those receiving sleep coaching did not lose significantly more than those receiving lifestyle education alone.Participants who received sleep coaching did report better sleep quality and less daytime drowsiness, and they gradually began going to bed earlier.(iStock)"While we expected that extending sleep would improve glucose levels and weight loss in adults with prediabetes who sleep for shorter periods, this wasn'...