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Obesity risk jumps. Not only can
short-term sleep loss lead to increased caloric consumption, but
multiple studies have suggested
a link between chronic sleep deprivation and increased obesity
risk over time. One 2012 research
review from Penn State, for instance, found that sleeping fewer
than six hours a night was linked
with changes in levels of the appetite hormones ghrelin and leptin.
Another 2012 study published in
the American Journal of Human
Biology showed that too little
sleep was tied to changes in appetite regulation, which could trig-
THE THIRD METRIC
ger people to eat more. And another study from the University of
Pennsylvania found study participants who were sleep-deprived for
five nights in a row gained about
two pounds, perhaps because of
late night snacking.
Risk of some cancers may increase. One
cancer study of 1,240 participants
who underwent colonoscopies
found that those who slept fewer
than six hours a night had a 50
percent spike in risk of colorectal
adenomas, which can turn malignant over time. Another 2012
study identified a possible link between sleep and aggressive breast
cancers. Researchers have also
suggested a correlation between
HUFFINGTON
02.09.14