Poor sleepers are wider and heavier

Poor sleep could make you more portly, new research has shown.

People who sleep six hours a night have waists 3cm thicker on average than individuals who kip for nine hours.

Scientists at Leeds University compared sleep patterns and waist circumference in 1,615 adults. They found shorter sleepers not only had wider waists, but were also heavier.

Sleeping for shorter periods was also linked to reduced blood levels of the “good” form of cholesterol to keep arteries healthy.