Adequate Sleep Can Help Reduce Sugar Intake

If one of your New Year's resolutions was to lose weight, and you have a tough time staying away from sweets, try getting more sleep, says a British study.

Researchers at King's College London found that getting more sleep reduced the amount of sugar adults ate, and generally led to a healthier diet in those who reported sleeping less than the recommended minimum for adults of seven hours.

Getting more sleep resulted in a 10-gram (two-and-a-half teaspoons) reduction in reported intake of free sugars compared to baseline levels. Sleeping longer also reduced the total intake of carbohydrates.

"The fact that extending sleep led to a reduction in intake of free sugars, by which we mean the sugars that are added to foods by manufacturers or in cooking at home as well as sugars in honey, syrups and fruit juice, suggests that a simple change in lifestyle may really help people to consume healthier diets," said investigator Wendy Hall.

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