Zusammenfassung
Short sleep duration is widely considered to be a risk factor for weight gain, suggesting that patients suffering from sleep disorders are a risk group. Despite some positive preliminary data on patients with organic sleep disorders, empirical evidence for an increased body mass index in patients with insomnia is scarce. Two-hundred and thirty-three patients with a confirmed diagnosis of severe ...
Zusammenfassung
Short sleep duration is widely considered to be a risk factor for weight gain, suggesting that patients suffering from sleep disorders are a risk group. Despite some positive preliminary data on patients with organic sleep disorders, empirical evidence for an increased body mass index in patients with insomnia is scarce. Two-hundred and thirty-three patients with a confirmed diagnosis of severe and chronic insomnia without co-morbidity showing objectively impaired sleep quality were compared with respect to their body mass index with control data derived from a representative population survey matched in gender and age. As a result, patients with insomnia showed a lower body mass index (23.8 kg m(-2) versus 27.1 kg m(-2); P < 0.0005). Our findings suggest that patients with chronic insomnia do not exhibit overweight. These data are a valuable educational tool to calm patients' fears about the consequences of insomnia, and contribute to the understanding of chronically disturbed sleep and weight regulation.
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