If I sleep less, can I eat more?

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Sometimes I only get 5 to 6 hours of sleep because of the things I have to get done. On these days I eat healthy but I end up eating more than my usual calorie intake of 1200 to 1500. Is it okay to eat more if I stay up late as I am burning more calories? What do you think?
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Replies

  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
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    Sleeping too little makes your body hate you. I wouldn't eat more. Any increased calorie burn from being awake for two extra hours is probably offset by all the hate your body is feeling.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
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    Are you working out during these hours you're not sleeping? If the answer is yes, then you can eat more.
  • lovelyMYlovely
    lovelyMYlovely Posts: 1,066 Member
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    sleeping makes u lose weight.. so actually no...... u need to sleep more i think.... and if u are up longer than I think that can make u fatter... but ur sooo tiny in ur picture i am sure it wont make a difference :)

    by the way u look like a model...:)
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one
  • Danni3ll3
    Danni3ll3 Posts: 365 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one

    I agree with this. There are a number of studies out there that say that people who get enough sleep per night tend to be lighter than those who don't. It has something to do hormones influencing appetite.

    Here is a link to WebMD for those who are interested in reading about it:

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/lose-weight-while-sleeping
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    I think you are probably right
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one

    ^^this. Plus it can slow down weight loss.
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
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    Change what you can about your schedule so you can sleep more/better, it affects everything.

    Re eating when you haven't slept - depends what's more important, reasonable functioning or weight loss. Carbs can help you feel and think a bit better when you're struggling (ie underslept)/sick (but you have to eat more to feel full).

    edit: you should probably eat more than 1200 anyway, if you're not extremely short, totally sedentary, and/or quite advanced in years.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one

    ^^this. Plus it can slow down weight loss.

    If we are counting calories I doubt this is true
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one

    ^^this. Plus it can slow down weight loss.

    If we are counting calories I doubt this is true

    What is the other side of the energy equation?
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Studies show that lack of sleep actually causes weight gain... probably partially because they eat more and possibly due to another study that suggests that a 12 hour period without eating helps burn fat (has to do with using up glycogen stores which is a more efficient source of energy before resorting to stored fat for energy) No, if anything it will cause you to need to have less intake... Best wishes on your journey. If you simply must stay up later, try lower calorie snacks but stay within your goals.
  • mariagabriella
    mariagabriella Posts: 267 Member
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    if you don't get much sleep you won't have much energy... if you don't have much energy you will more than likely try and get more energy from food (been there, done that). get some sleep.
  • allisonoftherowan
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    First of all, the whole concept of 'everyone needs 8 hours of sleep' is a myth. Everyone's body is different. Some people function perfectly well on 5-6 hours of sleep. Does this give one the right to eat more? No, of course not. Depriving oneself of sleep and sleeping less than the 'average' and being fine are two different things. If you feel tired all the time, sleep more. If not, continue about your life.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one

    ^^this. Plus it can slow down weight loss.

    If we are counting calories I doubt this is true

    What is the other side of the energy equation?

    Exactly, your TDEE will be higher if you sleep less
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
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    When I don't get enough sleep it makes me want to eat everything on the earth.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one

    ^^this. Plus it can slow down weight loss.

    If we are counting calories I doubt this is true

    What is the other side of the energy equation?

    Exactly, your TDEE will be higher if you sleep less

    Your forgetting about how hormones can effect your energy levels. Less sleep can lead to stress on your body. It can slow down your weight loss over time. It's best to get at least 7 hours of sleep. Personally, I aim for 8. I like to be well rested.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one

    ^^this. Plus it can slow down weight loss.

    If we are counting calories I doubt this is true

    What is the other side of the energy equation?

    Exactly, your TDEE will be higher if you sleep less

    Your forgetting about how hormones can effect your energy levels. Less sleep can lead to stress on your body. It can slow down your weight loss over time. It's best to get at least 7 hours of sleep. Personally, I aim for 8. I like to be well rested.

    I love the abundance of proof provided
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Go to sleep without an alarm. See when you naturally wake up. Do the math to determine the number of hours your body specifically desires a night. From there, try to sleep that many hours a night.

    Sleeping generally uses nearly the same number of calories per hour as a sedentary individual would. So, unless you are doing cardio or something with the lost sleep hours, your TDEE will not go up much if at all.

    Lack of sleep will raise cortisol levels, which will hinder weight loss as cortisol disrupts the body's ability to process fatty tissue for immediate energy. This becomes an issue through prolonged daily lack of sleep. One night here and there will not be of significant contribution.

    Feeling sluggish and tired throughout the day is a good indication you are not getting enough sleep, as it is a physical manifestation of your body attempting to slow energy use down as it has trouble utilizing fat fast enough. This will also cause people to feel hungry throughout the day because their body needs more energy sources.

    Overall, do what you can to get your sleep.
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
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    Bad sleep patterns can actually cause a slow in your metabolism. Why not just try and sleep better?
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    No it is not. Sleeping less really screws up with hunger and appetite behavior. Trust me on this one

    ^^this. Plus it can slow down weight loss.
    I only get 3-5 hours a sleep a day. What matters is calories in vs calories out.