Best way to stay trim may be to sleep in, study suggests

Here's some flab-ulous news for anyone carrying a little extra weight and searching frantically for a reason to rest their weary bones a little longer. A University of Chicago team tested folks' fat cells and found that the cells from people who slept only four-and-a-half hours nightly were 30 percent less responsive to insulin than the cells of those who got eight-and-a-half hours. The malfunctioning cells caused blood sugar levels to rise and reduced the release of leptin, which increased diabetes risk and propensity to gain weight. "We were surprised at how robust the response was," said lead researcher Matthew Brady. So, husky readers, put down that remote control and get some shut-eye. It's got to be better than jogging. [Source]

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