Does sleep play a big role in losing weight?

shinhye1
shinhye1 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm wondering if sleep plays an important role to lose weight. Are there certain hours that I need to sleep in order to achieve my ultimate goal?

Replies

  • eDonatti
    eDonatti Posts: 49 Member
    Yes - I've read somewhere that if you sleep less than 7 hours a day you tend to overeat (or have more cravings).
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    I don't think it affects fat loss too much, but it does tremendously affect muscle recovery, which is much more important imo.
  • shinhye1
    shinhye1 Posts: 2 Member
    Okay, thank you!
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    eDonatti wrote: »
    Yes - I've read somewhere that if you sleep less than 7 hours a day you tend to overeat (or have more cravings).

    Really? I rarely sleep six hours, much less seven.
  • pineapple_peach10
    pineapple_peach10 Posts: 239 Member
    I think it depends on the person, since everyone requires different amounts of sleep.

    I know for me, if I haven't slept well or had a very short sleep (4 or 5 hours) before a weigh in, I usually see it reflected on the scale.

    I do also find that I tend to be a bit hungrier when I am really tired.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    Yes, it does...but I've never read that you need to sleep on a particular schedule.

    Everybody has a different normal--some people need more than others. 8 hours a day is average, but not everybody needs that much.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
    sleep is awesome
  • egorre
    egorre Posts: 72 Member
    edited June 2015
    i'd say yes. i sleep around 5-6 hours on a weekday and i lose nothing. my weight fluctuates -1lb to 3lb... then comes saturday morning where i slept much longer 8-10 hours where i get new lows.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    Google "sleep leptin ghrelin." Inadequate sleep (as azulvioleta says, diff for everyone) messes with hormones that regulate hunger.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    MOST, not all people need a minimum of 7 hours. Your body will be looking for energy somewhere. If you're run down from fatigue, your body will prompt you to look for more energy from calories, but instead, it will just make you fat.
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
    Also, exercise more likely gets neglected if you'd rather nap...
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    shinhye1 wrote: »
    I'm wondering if sleep plays an important role to lose weight. Are there certain hours that I need to sleep in order to achieve my ultimate goal?

    You can't eat if you're not awake!

    I do my worst damage when I'm up late at night and "grazing".

  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    Google "sleep leptin ghrelin." Inadequate sleep (as azulvioleta says, diff for everyone) messes with hormones that regulate hunger.
    Yes. If you get less sleep than normal, you tend to crave carbs the next daya--the thought is that your body wants the extra energy that carbs provide.
  • SweetestHoney
    SweetestHoney Posts: 95 Member
    Yes. I ignored that fact for a long time. I found that when I get 8 hours of sleep I lose more weight and look less bloated even if I don't workout.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    egorre wrote: »
    i'd say yes. i sleep around 5-6 hours on a weekday and i lose nothing. my weight fluctuates -1lb to 3lb... then comes saturday morning where i slept much longer 8-10 hours where i get new lows.

    I doubt that five additional hours of sleep on one day will make much difference long term. The "new lows" are likely due to going for more hours between drinking fluids. You would probably get the same results if you slept for five hours, waited another five hours before drinking or eating, and weighing before you drank something.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Yes.
  • irejuvenateme
    irejuvenateme Posts: 96 Member
    Just make sure you are getting ENOUGH. I know for myself, if I get less than six hours, I am way more likely to start hitting the caffeine and sugar and it throws everything off. If you lose more sleep over a course of days it really can affect everything.
    I have never really been able to sleep eight, more power to the folks that get that much! I have twin toddlers and they get up quite early, and yes, even on weekends :)
  • Unknown
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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    draznyth wrote: »
    sleep is awesome

    200_s.gif
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    7lenny7 wrote: »
    shinhye1 wrote: »
    I'm wondering if sleep plays an important role to lose weight. Are there certain hours that I need to sleep in order to achieve my ultimate goal?

    You can't eat if you're not awake!

    I do my worst damage when I'm up late at night and "grazing".

    ^^ this here . I get on average about 5-6 hrs per day of sleep and i never had a problem losing in a calorie deficit. I do notice that my energy levels during the day are lower when i sleep less but other than that i doubt the difference in weight loss rate from not sleeping enough is really significant lower.
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