One of the most amazing aspects of Silicon Valley is that we all like to brag about the long hours we like to work and how little we sleep. For some of us, it is not just a habit, but also an addiction. I have suffered direct consequences and yet I find it hard to control my sleep habits.  Think about it this way, it was easier for me to quit life long habit of smoking, booze and meat than sleeping for the doctor prescribed 8-9 hours of sleep.

Today, when reading this note from the American College of Physicians, I was reminded why I (and everyone else needs to do a better job of sleep.

A new study reveals that how much you sleep, may be as important as how much you eat. According to the study, published in the October 5th issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, lack of sleep may hinder a dieter’s ability to shed excess body fat. The study highlights the importance of adequate sleep for maintenance of fat-free body mass when dieting to lose weight. Researchers found that dieting adults who slept 8.5 hours a night, lost 56 percent more body fat than those that slept only 5.5 hours. The study also shows that lack of sleep reduces energy levels, stimulates hunger and food intake and increases glucose production in the body.

I don’t know about the weight loss stuff, but there is definitely a direct correlation between my health, my weight, my sugar levels and my state of mind.

There is no doubt that each one of us have a different metabolism rates and a different body type, but I can safely speak for myself — when I don’t sleep properly, I start putting on weight and all my health problems return. When I go back to normal sleep pattern, life returns to normal. Maybe there is a lesson in that  — we should try and sleep, even as we work really hard on our dreams.

Photo by Tambako via Flickr under Creative Commons.