Sleeping With TV On Can Make You Fat

MIAMI (CBSMiami/CNN) - Can't catch some z's without the TV or a light on?

If so, the seemingly harmless habit just might make you pack on a few pounds.

Research shows that falling asleep with a lot of artificial light on is now linked to an increased risk of weight gain and obesity.

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which analyzed the sleeping habits of nearly 44-thousand women in the US, found those who say they sleep with a TV or a light on in the room gained 11 pounds or more and had a body mass increase of about 10-percent over a 5-year period.

There was also a 22-percent chance of becoming overweight and a 33-percent chance of becoming obese or having too much body fat.

So do you need to kick the habit and cut the lights?

Health officials recommend taking TVs and other tech devices out of your bedroom in order to support a healthy sleeping environment. They say artificial light at night can throw off your body clock and might be mixing up your metabolism causing you to gain weight.

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