Sleeping This Much Longer Will Help You Lose Weight, Says New Study

If you're trying—or have tried—to lose weight, you know that the struggle can be all too real. There's no greater sense of satisfaction than reaching your goal, but it can be a long, challenging road to trek. But get excited, because we have some astounding news to share—especially if you like to curl up and get quality Z's. Losing weight has never been simpler for those of us who enjoy hitting the snooze button on the daily, according to a brand new study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal. Yes—you heard that right! By sleeping longer and better, it has been found in this new study that you can lose weight without even dieting. Read on to learn the sleep and weight-loss specifics, and next, check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

The study's mission

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The research involved observing 80 overweight adults who normally get less than 6.5 hours of sleep each night. The mission was to study how sleeping longer affects the energy level in overweight adults, when in their own natural space.

The research team discovered that personalized sleep coaching led to longer sleep

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The participants were randomly separated into two groups. In the first group—aka the "sleep extension group"—each participant's sleep was controlled by way of coaching them individually on general sleep hygiene, with recommendations to hopefully promote a longer sleep time. The second group—aka the "control group"—maintained their personal sleep environments. The control group did not receive any kind of coaching—they were simply told to resume their typical sleep behaviors and day-to-day routine. In this study, the participants did not have to record their daily food intake.

The research team was staggered to find that switching up the bedtime habits of participants in the sleep extension group could improve the total sleep they were able to get—and we want to be coached, too!

Here's how much extra sleep can lead to weight loss

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The scientists reveal that people could potentially lose an average of 26 pounds over a 3-year period without making any modifications to their daily diet. According to one of the study authors, Dr. Esra Tasali of the Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, "If healthy sleep habits are maintained over longer duration, this would lead to clinically important weight loss over time." Tasali added, "Many people are working hard to find ways to decrease their caloric intake to lose weight—well, just by sleeping more, you may be able to reduce it substantially."

The study's results reveal that individuals were able to lose approximately 270 calories each day by sleeping for an additional 1.2 hours. That's right—the participants slept more and lost weight.