Sleep's affect on weight loss?

Options
sparklepants
sparklepants Posts: 149 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys

I have been sleeping really badly this week, most nights I am only getting 4-5 hours and normally I need 8 hours.

Does anyone know how this can affect your weight loss? As I know that it can be detrimental but I'm not sure how.

Thanks

zzzzzzz.....

Replies

  • supercool111
    supercool111 Posts: 87
    Options
    I've looked into this before and from what I gather it's just that when you sleep less you tend to eat more. So really you should just make sure you don't eat any more than you do on average.
  • supercool111
    supercool111 Posts: 87
    Options
    Also, I guess if your tired you wont move around as much in the day and so you wont burn quite as many calories but this shouldn't have a massive impact on weight...
  • acureese
    acureese Posts: 169
    Options
    Hi! :) During the deeper phases of sleep (delta sleep) is when the body is in its restorative stage, where the body is repairing itself, building bone and muscle and releasing certain hormones. That's why it's good to sleep through the night. Also exhaustion can lead to lack of exercise motivation, higher levels of stress and overeating. I also looked it up because I couldn't remember the hormone names involved and it said this:
    Leptin and Grehlin are hormones that help the body control appetite and weight gain and loss. Leptin suppresses appetite, while Grehlin increases appetite and may prevent a person from losing weight.

    When lack of sleep becomes a chronic problem, levels of Grehlin increases, causing greater appetite, and levels of Leptin decrease. Regardless of diet and exercise, it's possible that some obesity is caused, or made worse, by sleep deprivation.

    I hope this helps explain it! :)
  • drvvork
    drvvork Posts: 1,162
    Options
    I have sleeping problems at the go - So, I've been informed (Doctor) that my body needs that sleep to repair and maintain itself and it slows your metabolic rate (I used to get chewed out all the time for "burning the candle at both ends". And yes you have a tendency to eat more to stay awake. I worked midnights for years and with a house full of children, fighting spouse and mother it was hard on my sleep. I attempt to drink more (I'm a coffee drinker) Monster Java Lo-balls on the days I've only gotten 2 tor 4 hours of sleep.
  • sparklepants
    sparklepants Posts: 149 Member
    Options
    Thanks guys, I wil try and watch what I eat today. I did some weight training last night, nothing to intense but my muscles just feel awful today!! So I know that they haven't repaired themselves :o(

    Acureese- thanks, that's really interesting :o)
  • lulabellewoowoo
    lulabellewoowoo Posts: 3,125 Member
    Options
    I usually only average about 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night because I work at 3 a.m. Staying up until 10 means that I am up a lot of hours. So I tend to cut off my eating at around 7 so as to not overeat. I also find that during the day when I get overly munchy, it's because I'm tired and I keep thinking I need the energy, so I lay down for about 20 to 40 minutes and it makes all the difference in the world.

    FYI, my weight gain came when I got this crazy schedule.

Categories