Is Lack of Sleep Causing You To Gain Weight?

When it comes to health, sleep is often slept on. Although the importance of sleep has gained traction over the past few years, there are many of us that don’t prioritize it the way that we should.  Besides allowing our bodies and brains to refresh and recover, adequate sleep (which according to the National Sleep Foundation is at least 7 to 9 hours for most adults) can lower the risk of health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. What’s more is that quality sleep can help with weight management. And thus, to answer the question in the title, your lack of sleep could lead to weight gain.

You may be scratching your head at this point. You know sleep is good for you but how does it affect your weight? Could the reason the scale went up from yesterday be because you only got a few hours of sleep last night?

Let’s revisit how we lose and gain weight. You lose weight when you are eating below your maintenance calories, or the calories it takes to maintain your current weight. You gain weight when you are eating above those maintenance calories. Therefore, your diet and your metabolism will ultimately determine your scale fluctuations. That being said, it is not just hunger or eating patterns that influence your diet – sleep can as well.

There are actually a few factors that come into play here. Lack of sleep affects the body’s release of ghrelin (i.e. makes us feel hungry) and leptin (i.e. makes us feel full).1 When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies produce more ghrelin and less leptin, thus increasing our appetite. In fact, a study of over 1,000 people found that those who slept for short durations had 14.9% higher ghrelin levels and 15.5% lower leptin levels than those who got adequate sleep.3 This seemingly slight change in hormones could lead to major implications. Studies found that shorter sleep duration (fewer than 7 hours per night) was significantly associated with the risk of future obesity. 4 Other cross-sectional studies demonstrate a significant negative relation between sleep duration and waist circumference. 5

Additionally, when we are sleep deprived, it is harder for us to make healthy choices and resist cravings as the activity in the brain’s frontal lobe, the locus of decision-making and impulse control, is dulled.2  We are also more likely to comfort ourselves with sweets as a means to make us feel better for our exhaustion. Studies in the the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and University of Chicago validated this notion and found that when people were starved of sleep, late-night snacking increased, with participants more likely to choose hyperpalatable foods, or foods that were higher in carbohydrates and higher in fats. 2 

Besides nutrition, lack of sleep could affect your exercise regimen. When you’re tired during the day, you are more likely to skip a workout or be less effective during your exercise routine. You also may be generally less active throughout the day.

So now that I hopefully convinced you sleep is important, how can you get a great night’s rest? The first and most important thing to do is to prevent distractions around bedtime. Trying to limit screen time from computers, phones, and TVs an hour before bed has been widely recommended. It’s also equally important to turn off the lights. Darkness cues your body to release the natural sleep hormone melatonin, while light suppresses it. 2  Additionally, it may be helpful to follow a schedule of when you go to sleep and when you wake up. Consistency helps to build healthy habits and reinforce sleep schedules.

If you’re trying to manage your weight, not only is it important to consider your actions in the kitchen, but also your actions in the bedroom. If we’re able to get a good night’s sleep, we have a better chance of making your weight management dreams into reality.