164. Lack of sleep might cause you to put on belly fat
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
People who fail to get enough sleep are at higher risk for putting on unhealthy belly fat. In a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers at the Mayo Clinic studied 12 healthy, non-obese young adults. Each participant slept nine hours for the first four days. Then half were only allowed to sleep four hours each night for the next two weeks, while the rest slept the normal nine hours. All participants could eat as much as they liked throughout the study. The researchers found that the people who got less sleep ate about 300 more calories each day. They also showed increases in belly fat and visceral fat. This research is particularly important, as roughly one-third of adults do not get enough sleep.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
