Better Sleep Tied to Better Adherence to Lifestyle Modifications

WEDNESDAY, March 8, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- People with better sleep health are more likely to stick to diet and exercise goals, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health 2023 Scientific Sessions, held from Feb. 28 to March 3 in Boston.

Christopher E. Kline, Ph.D., from University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues examined the relationship between sleep health (regularity, satisfaction, alertness, timing, efficiency, and duration) and measures of lifestyle modification among 125 adults with overweight or obesity who participated in a 12-month behavioral weight loss intervention.

The researchers found that better sleep health was associated with higher rates of attendance at group intervention sessions, greater adherence to caloric intake goals, and a trend for greater change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Overall, in the first six months, participants attended 79 percent of group sessions, met their daily caloric intake goals on 36 percent of days, and increased their total daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous activity by 8.7 minutes.

"It remains unclear whether it would be best to optimize sleep prior to rather than during attempted weight loss," Kline said in a statement. "In other words, should clinicians tell their patients to focus on getting better and more regular sleep before they begin to attempt weight loss, or should they try to improve their sleep while at the same time modifying their diet and activity levels?"

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