Sleeping late could be the cause of your difficulty losing weight –

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Sleepless nights may be responsible for your poor food choices. This is what a study presented in June 2016 at the annual meeting of Professional Sleep Societies, which took place in Boston, in the United States, points out.

After analyzing the practice of physical activities and the diet of 96 people aged between 18 and 50 years who sleep more than six and a half hours a night, researchers from Northwestern University found that those who prefer to sleep later (around 1 am) you end up eating fewer vegetables, more fast food, and exercising less than those who like to go to bed a little after the sun goes down.

Read too: How your diet can affect your sleep

The curious thing is that, despite this difference in the menu between the groups, the BMI (body mass index) and the fat rate of the late night lovers were still normal. One of the theories that would explain this finding is that people who like to sleep later would be genetically programmed to have a higher metabolic rate. But that’s not an excuse to abuse, as researchers believe that, in the long run, the habit can lead to weight gain, even for those who have an accelerated metabolism.

So if you usually extend your day until after midnight, be aware of what you put on your plate. The study authors believe that small adaptations in the eating routine can minimize the negative effects that a shorter night’s sleep can cause.

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