20 November 2007

Sleep and Lose Weight

For shape-conscious moms who have just given birth:

Researchers presented a conundrum to new mothers on Monday, saying that women who want to lose the extra weight gained in pregnancy should try to get more sleep.

They found that mothers who slept five hours or less a day when their babies were six months old were three times more likely than more rested mothers to have kept on the extra weight at one year.

[Reuters, 19 Nov 2007]

Yes, the solution is quite impossible to apply. How can mothers who have just given birth sleep more when they're busy attending to the needs of their new babies?

Kinder husbands might help. How about following a rigid time schedule? That might work, too. But a crying baby at night is very good at waking up sleepy heads.

Then again, a good motivation helps. Losing unnecessary poundage by sleeping longer than 5 hours every night looks more appealing than regular exercise alone. Maybe an ideal timetable has the mother working hard during the daytime and sleeping soundly --- uninterrupted --- at night.

2 reactions:

rolly said...

This reminded me of the times when the kids were just babies. Nag ja jack en poy kami ni misis sa madaling araw kung sino tatayo at magtitimpla ng gatas.

Meron din kaming ibang pinag ja jack en poyan pero di ko na sasabihin kung ano. LOL!!!

Dr. Emer said...

Hirap bumangon, ano. Tito Rolly? It sure helps if your baby isn't the crying type.