Slept four hours..should I cut calories to compensate?

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IdcShrimp
IdcShrimp Posts: 71
in Health and Weight Loss
Last night I was really excited for this movie coming out today and going out to eat with some friends I never see. As a result I fan girled til 2 am and woke up at 6:45 :( that's like a little more than four hours of sleep and I feel like crap now. I have a headache and my stomach hurts. But I just woke up naturally! It was like christmas. I read somewhere that if you get too little sleep you will retain all your calories and gain weight. Should I not eat half my calories today or something? Yesterday I got too MUCH sleep, if it makes a difference. I actually slept twelve hours last night lol.
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Replies

  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    You won't retain your calories magically if you don't sleep. However, you may notice you are hungrier on days you sleep less, so be more careful about how much you eat to make sure you don't overeat.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    Just eat your normal calories.

    1 day is not going to make or break you
    1 day of unusual sleep is not going to affect your progress - it's chronic sleep deprivation that has an effect not a day's worth.
  • IdcShrimp
    IdcShrimp Posts: 71
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    You won't retain your calories magically if you don't sleep. However, you may notice you are hungrier on days you sleep less, so be more careful about how much you eat to make sure you don't overeat.

    Hmm, makes more sense I guess. I don't understand the claims that sleeping less holds in calories so your reasoning is more sensible....thanks
  • IdcShrimp
    IdcShrimp Posts: 71
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    Just eat your normal calories.

    1 day is not going to make or break you
    1 day of unusual sleep is not going to affect your progress - it's chronic sleep deprivation that has an effect not a day's worth.

    This makes me feel a lot better. Some days I just get too excited to sleep! lol I still really wanna enjoy myself tonight at dinner and the movie so I shall
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    You won't retain your calories magically if you don't sleep. However, you may notice you are hungrier on days you sleep less, so be more careful about how much you eat to make sure you don't overeat.

    Hmm, makes more sense I guess. I don't understand the claims that sleeping less holds in calories so your reasoning. Is more sensible.

    The only time this might happen (based on a Brazilian study, sorry, too lazy to link!) is if you lay in bed 8 hours vs slept 8, you might burn a little less laying awake. But it wouldn't make enough difference to matter unless you lived that way, in which case you'd have to worry about way more than weight. Like going insane from lack of sleep.

    It's those sleepy munchies you gotta watch out for.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    Where in the actual hell did you read that sleeping less holds onto calories -_-

    Some people these days.

    Just think about what you actually typed
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    lolwut
  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
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    I agree with the other posts. I have also read lack of sleep can effect weight loss efforts but I think it is serious lack of sleep over a time, not one night.

    But yeah you will probably feel low on energy and be tempted to reach for sugary snacks to perk you up, just stick to your usual calories and make sure you log.

    Although you might be tired, a brisk walk can help you feel more awake and also give you some exercise calories to eat if you feel you need some extra food energy to get you through the day.
  • IdcShrimp
    IdcShrimp Posts: 71
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    Where in the actual hell did you read that sleeping less holds onto calories -_-

    Some people these days.

    Just think about what you actually typed

    Um sorry am I not allowed to ask a question? Everyone in my family always told me that including my bio-obsessed sister so I just wanted to ask about the validity of that statement. I heard it had something to do with not getting enough cortisol...but I guess it would only affect you if you got three hours of sleep every night of your life or something. Idk, I'm no doctor, that's why I'm here. Your sass is just plain mean.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    Where in the actual hell did you read that sleeping less holds onto calories -_-

    Some people these days.

    Just think about what you actually typed

    Um sorry am I not allowed to ask a question? Everyone in my family always told me that including my bio-obsessed sister so I just wanted to ask about the validity of that statement. I heard it had something to do with not getting enough cortisol...but I guess it would only affect you if you got three hours of sleep every night of your life or something. Idk, I'm no doctor, that's why I'm here. Your sass is just plain mean.

    Sleeping less holds onto calories. Its the new starvation mode: Sleepation mode!
  • kjoy_
    kjoy_ Posts: 316 Member
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    hi op,

    was this a serious question? i don't want people to waste their time answering if not. but no, it will not affect you at all. they say that you gain weight when you sleep less because being tired/cranky/stressed can sometimes lead to stress eating because of the emotional aspect. if you feel emotionally fine - you will be JUST fine. i sleep 4-5 hours a night every night.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    Where in the actual hell did you read that sleeping less holds onto calories -_-

    Some people these days.

    Just think about what you actually typed

    Um sorry am I not allowed to ask a question? Everyone in my family always told me that including my bio-obsessed sister so I just wanted to ask about the validity of that statement. I heard it had something to do with not getting enough cortisol...but I guess it would only affect you if you got three hours of sleep every night of your life or something. Idk, I'm no doctor, that's why I'm here. Your sass is just plain mean.

    too little sleep (over time not one night) does impact cortisol - but not by you "getting too little," in fact the opposite. It stresses your system and stress RAISES cortisol levels, which in turn makes it harder to lose fat. But again it's a long-term thing :flowerforyou:
  • IdcShrimp
    IdcShrimp Posts: 71
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    I agree with the other posts. I have also read lack of sleep can effect weight loss efforts but I think it is serious lack of sleep over a time, not one night.

    But yeah you will probably feel low on energy and be tempted to reach for sugary snacks to perk you up, just stick to your usual calories and make sure you log.

    Although you might be tired, a brisk walk can help you feel more awake and also give you some exercise calories to eat if you feel you need some extra food energy to get you through the day.

    Oh crap I totally forgot to mention also I'm jus maintaining not losing either so maybe that changes it as well. Didn't mean to make it seem like I was still in weight loss mode. I just didn't want to somehow magically start gaining weight. In retrospect I feel like I'm being paranoid but it never hurts to ask my fellow myfitnesspal-ers
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    Last night I was really excited for this movie coming out today and going out to eat with some friends I never see. As a result I fan girled til 2 am and woke up at 6:45 :( that's like a little more than four hours of sleep and I feel like crap now. I have a headache and my stomach hurts. But I just woke up naturally! It was like christmas. I read somewhere that if you get too little sleep you will retain all your calories and gain weight. Should I not eat half my calories today or something? Yesterday I got too MUCH sleep, if it makes a difference. I actually slept twelve hours last night lol.

    h9745A200
  • IdcShrimp
    IdcShrimp Posts: 71
    Options
    hi op,

    was this a serious question? i don't want people to waste their time answering if not. but no, it will not affect you at all. they say that you gain weight when you sleep less because being tired/cranky/stressed can sometimes lead to stress eating because of the emotional aspect. if you feel emotionally fine - you will be JUST fine. i sleep 4-5 hours a night every night.

    Hi! Yes I was serious haha. I really wanted to know if it was fact or myth. Judging by everyone's responses it's mostly myth considering everyone thinks I'm insane lol.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    . I read somewhere that if you get too little sleep you will retain all your calories and gain weight.

    no
  • IdcShrimp
    IdcShrimp Posts: 71
    Options
    Last night I was really excited for this movie coming out today and going out to eat with some friends I never see. As a result I fan girled til 2 am and woke up at 6:45 :( that's like a little more than four hours of sleep and I feel like crap now. I have a headache and my stomach hurts. But I just woke up naturally! It was like christmas. I read somewhere that if you get too little sleep you will retain all your calories and gain weight. Should I not eat half my calories today or something? Yesterday I got too MUCH sleep, if it makes a difference. I actually slept twelve hours last night lol.

    h9745A200

    Sorry to give you cancer.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
    Options
    hi op,

    was this a serious question? i don't want people to waste their time answering if not. but no, it will not affect you at all. they say that you gain weight when you sleep less because being tired/cranky/stressed can sometimes lead to stress eating because of the emotional aspect. if you feel emotionally fine - you will be JUST fine. i sleep 4-5 hours a night every night.

    Hi! Yes I was serious haha. I really wanted to know if it was fact or myth. Judging by everyone's responses it's mostly myth considering everyone thinks I'm insane lol.

    For it to be a myth, people need to actually believe it first.
  • Frood42
    Frood42 Posts: 245 Member
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    Yes, I can see why people might think you are insane :laugh:
    .
    Perhaps send this one into Mythbusters, perhaps they can blow up Buster with a Diet Coke and Mentos reaction!
    .
    Show Result: BUSTED
    .
  • IdcShrimp
    IdcShrimp Posts: 71
    Options
    hi op,

    was this a serious question? i don't want people to waste their time answering if not. but no, it will not affect you at all. they say that you gain weight when you sleep less because being tired/cranky/stressed can sometimes lead to stress eating because of the emotional aspect. if you feel emotionally fine - you will be JUST fine. i sleep 4-5 hours a night every night.

    Hi! Yes I was serious haha. I really wanted to know if it was fact or myth. Judging by everyone's responses it's mostly myth considering everyone thinks I'm insane lol.

    For it to be a myth, people need to actually believe it first.

    I mean you can google it and see a bunch of people who were equally as confused

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