Sleep well to be slim

A new research has revealed that a good amount of sound sleep prevents weight gain in women.

If you thought that lying in the bed for too long may make you fat, think again, as a new research has revealed that a good amount of sound sleep prevents weight gain.

A Columbia University study has found that people who slept for four hours or less per night were 73 percent more likely to be obese, possibly because of effects on their appetite hormones.

The study also found that, even after factors such as depression, physical activity, alcohol consumption, ethnicity, level of education, age and gender had been taken into account, people who slept less were more likely to be obese.

"The results are somewhat counterintuitive, since people who sleep less are naturally burning more calories.But we think it has more to do with what happens to your body when you deprive it of sleep as opposed to the amount of physical activity that you get,"Dr James Gangwisch, who led the research team, was quoted by the BBC, as saying.