Miracles like this can happen only in Fairy Tale Land. But there is something to this. Because people who regularly get seven to eight hours of deep and sound sleep are thinner on average than their contemporaries who don’t get off to bed in the evening and like to turn the night into day.

More and more scientific studies show that sleep plays a pivotal role in controlling body weight. People who are well-rested, enjoy exercising and have less of an appetite than fatigued nap takers. The reason for this is that a lack of sleep disrupts the metabolism. The body then produces lower levels of leptin, a hormone that acts as an appetite suppressor and stimulates energy consumption. Levels of messengers such as cortisol, referred to as the “stress hormone” and ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, rise – that’s why tired people eat more.

Seven to eight hours of sleep is ideal. Doing sport is worthwhile for those who sleep poorly. Exercise relieves anxiety, makes feelings of weakness disappear and burns calories, which is beneficial to the figure. The more muscles you put on, the more energy your body burns during sleep. So, close your eyes and get slim.

Text: Elisabeth Lange