Short sleep linked to body mass and waist size

Getting an extra hour of sleep each night might shave a third of an inch off your waist

Getting one extra hour of sleep each night might shave a third of an inch off your waist and a couple of pounds off the number on the bathroom scale, a recent study suggests.

Among some 1,600 people in the UK, researchers found that those who slept more than eight hours a night had lower body mass index (BMI) — a measure of weight relative to height — and slightly smaller waists when compared to people who slept less than seven hours.

Longer sleepers also had slightly higher levels of HDL “good” cholesterol.

“Most of the findings are in line with what experimental