Early Bedtime Linked to Weight Loss in Prediabetes

Listening to Fox News articles is now an option. Recent research indicates that adults with prediabetes may experience greater weight loss by falling asleep earlier. A study led by the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing analyzed data from a randomized trial. Findings suggest that each hour earlier bedtime correlates with about 1.3 pounds of weight loss over eight weeks. However, the study does not confirm that going to bed earlier directly causes weight loss.

Susan Kohl Malone, an assistant professor and lead author of the study, highlighted the significance of sleep timing for weight loss and metabolic health in a press release. The study was published in the journal Nursing Research and involved 196 adults diagnosed with prediabetes, who typically got less than 6.5 hours of sleep per night.

Participants were split into two groups. One group participated in an eight-week lifestyle course on diet, exercise, and stress. The other group received the same education plus behavioral coaching to gradually go to bed earlier. Going to bed earlier was found to be linked to weight loss, independent of the total sleep duration.

Researchers monitored participants’ blood sugar, sleep, and activity using sensors, logs, and wrist monitors. No significant improvements in blood sugar were observed in either group. Although both groups lost weight, there wasn’t a notable difference between those who received sleep coaching and those with lifestyle education alone. However, those with sleep coaching reported better sleep quality and reduced daytime drowsiness, gradually adjusting to earlier bedtimes.

Malone noted that they anticipated improved glucose levels and weight loss with extended sleep but found this wasn’t the case. In a combined analysis, participants who advanced their sleep time tended to lose more weight. Researchers propose that the body’s internal clock may explain these findings. Late-night wakefulness increases exposure to artificial light, possibly activating the body’s stress response and affecting hunger-regulating hormones.

An analysis projected that a 60-minute earlier bedtime might associate with about 1.3 pounds of weight loss over eight weeks. Staying up late coincides with reduced insulin sensitivity, suggesting that earlier sleep might curtail late-night eating while aligning food intake with optimal metabolic times.

The trial’s eight-week duration raised questions about the sustainability of earlier bedtimes and weight maintenance. While participants wore wrist monitors, vital sleep metrics like rest quality relied heavily on self-reported logs. Researchers observed that staying awake late elevates hunger hormones such as ghrelin, increasing the likelihood of eating when insulin sensitivity is low.

Malone mentioned that the average 12-minute earlier bedtime in the sleep coaching group did not lead to measurable blood sugar improvements. This research was funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research and conducted in collaboration with the University of Delaware.

Khloe Quill, a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital, along with the lifestyle team covers a variety of topics including food, travel, and health.