Sleeping in front of the TV could be making you fat - here’s why

People face an increased risk of obesity if they fall asleep with the television on, according to new research.

A survey of almost 44,000 people found that women who fall asleep while exposed to artificial light are more likely to gain weight and become obese or overweight in the next five years.

The findings - published in a journal called JAMA Internal Medicine, and collected by researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - suggest that turning off screens and lights while you sleep could be a way of tackling obesity.

Study looked at women in America

Researchers followed 43,722 women aged between 35 and 74 years old in the US over a period of five years.

The women provided information about their exposure to artificial light at night time, as well as their weight and Body Mass Index (BMI).

The results showed that the women who slept with an artificial light or television in the same room were 17 per cent more likely to gain 5kg or more in the five year period.