4 Ways Sleep Deprivation Leads to Weight Gain, and How to Fix It
Hey Mommas!
Who feels like they rarely get enough sleep? When your schedule is so busy between your family’s schedule and your own schedule, you just want to use those sacred hours after your kids go to bed as your time.
But I’m about to give you some hard truth:
Sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain.
If it’s a question between binging a few more Netflix episodes or going to sleep, you should probably choose sleep.
When you’re on a weight loss journey, it’s important to look at all aspects of your life and how each part influences your weight.
There may not be an obvious link between sleep deprivation and your weight, but more and more research is showing just how important sleep is for your mood, mental performance, and overall health and wellness, especially when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight.
The Facts About Sleep Deprivation and Weight Gain:
I’ve linked any referenced research at the bottom of this post.
Many studies show that people who more often have a short sleep duration simply weigh more. And, in fact, as the levels of chronic (long term) sleep deprivation have increased over the past 50 years, so have the growing epidemics of being overweight and obese.
And many studies now agree that lack of sleep is an “independent” risk factor (i.e. a direct risk) for weight gain and obesity.
Especially for women.
One large analysis of 45 studies which included over 600,000 people says, “studies from around the world show a consistent increased risk of obesity amongst short sleepers in children and adults.” The increased risks were 89% for children and 55% for adults.
The overall data in that study suggests that a reduction in one hour of sleep per day would be associated with about 3 lbs of additional weight.
Currently, 40% of American adults say that they get less than 7 hours of sleep per night. But the minimum recommended amount of nightly sleep for adults is 7 hours.
I think it’s fair to say we are not getting an overall healthy amount of sleep. This is terrible because it is the one thing that could stand in the way of a lot of our health goals.
Let’s look at how exactly sleep deprivation leads to weight gain, and then I will give you some tips on how to get better sleep.
4 Ways Sleep Deprivation Leads to Weight Gain
Overall, sleep deprivation leads to weight gain because of increased calorie intake and a decreased ability to burn those extra calories. It’s kind of lose-lose.
As I list the reasons below, you will see that the first two factors that lead to weight gain from sleep deprivation deal with increased calories, and the second two deal with slower calorie burn off.
1. Sleep Deprivation Increases Time Available to Eat
Some researchers suggest that the longer the time you’re awake, the more opportunity you have to eat, or more specifically, to snack. In fact, some studies have shown that these tend to be nighttime snacks.
And guess what many sleep-deprived people tend to snack on at night?
You guessed it...high-fat, sometimes high-carb, and less protein and fiber snacks.
Which, of course, can lead to weight gain.
And, at least one study shows that eating at night increases the time it takes [healthy people] to fall asleep. This is even more true for women.
Are you sensing a bit of a “vicious cycle” in play here? We stay up late because we think we deserve it, which might lead to us indulging in a little extra bedtime snack. And then we have a hard time falling asleep because of that snack. We fall asleep later, and our quality of sleep decreases, and not so coincidentally, we see the number on the scale increase.
If this is a pattern that sounds very familiar to you, it might be a good time to use the self-coaching model for this very situation.
2. Sleep Deprivation Messes with Your Hunger Hormones
Many people who sleep less tend to eat more calories throughout the day. This is not only due to the increased time available for snacking but is also because of how sleep deprivation can mess with the hormones that control both hunger and appetite.
How does this happen?
This is a double-whammy because some studies show that lack of sleep not only increases the stomach’s hunger hormone “ghrelin” (what makes you more hungry), but it also decreases the fat tissue’s fullness hormone “leptin” (what makes you feel less full).
It is easy to see how changes in these hormones can lead to more eating, and eventually weight gain or even obesity.
It’s possible that these changes are a natural mechanism our body uses to make sure we get enough food if we have longer waking times.
But this is a situation where, just like how our brains lead us to have self-doubt, our bodies are looking out for us in a situation that is no longer relevant to the type of lifestyle we have.
And in the type of environment we are so lucky to live in, this natural mechanism actually tends to make us overshoot our energy needs and take in a bit more than we actually use.
3. Sleep Deprivation Can Slow Your Metabolism
Research is just emerging on this topic, but it seems to show that sleep deprivation can lower your energy expenditure and body temperature.
This means that your body may naturally burn less fuel at rest during the days when you get less sleep.
When you burn less, you store more and gain weight more easily.
4. Sleep Deprivation Causes Fatigue, Which Leads to Reduced Exercise
When you are on a weight loss journey, the biggest key to your success is consistency. But if you continually wake up without enough sleep, how motivated will you be to continue getting up to work out?
How motivated will you be to meal prep if you are exhausted when you finally have the time to dedicate?
This is a common-sense problem, especially when you look at the 3 previous reasons.
When you are sleep deprived, your metabolism has slowed down and your body is holding onto more fat-based energy, so it is important that you commit more time to exercise. But if you are exhausted, and already not getting enough sleep, it’s probably not even the smartest solution.
So really, the only way to solve any of these problems is simple, just get more and better sleep.
But how do you even do that?
First, Here’s the Great News:
Sleep deprivation is considered a “modifiable risk factor”.
This means that, although it increases your risk of obesity, you have some power over it.
How well you sleep and how much sleep you get is something that you can improve by putting into place some tips and making them regular habits.
Tips for Getting Better Sleep:
1 - Make sleep a priority.
It’s time to admit that you just might not be making your sleep as much of a priority as other activities. Be honest with yourself, and think about what it is you really want out of life, and then adjust your priorities accordingly.
2 - Be consistent with your sleeping times.
Your body loves routine, and having a consistent bedtime can actually train your brain, your body’s clock (circadian rhythm), and sleep hormones to follow suit.
3 - Eliminate stimulants after 12pm.
Ideally, you shouldn’t expose your body to chemical stimulation for the whole afternoon and evening. This includes caffeine (coffee, black and green teas, chocolate) and nicotine (cigarettes).
4 - Get some exercise and sunshine during the day.
Of course, exercise and sunshine have many health benefits. They also tell your brain that it’s daytime, so it can help to set your body’s clock.
Tip: Be sure to finish exercise at least three hours before bedtime, as it may stimulate some people and keep them awake.
5 - Stop eating and drinking a couple of hours before bed
By cutting out your bedtime snack you will eat fewer calories, and you may even have a better night’s sleep and wake up more alert. Also, by not drinking fluids a few hours before bed you’ll reduce the need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
6 - Lower your lights when the sun goes down
If your brain thinks it’s daytime it will not make the sleep hormone melatonin so it can stay awake. So, having bright white (or blue-ish) lights can trick your brain into thinking that it’s daytime.
To solve this, you can dim your lights, buy amber/red light bulbs and/or blue-blocker glasses, turn off electronics (or at least use their night-time mode).
If you do need to go to the bathroom during the night, don’t turn on the light (consider a dim night light instead) or look at the clock (this can cause a habit loop to form).
7 - Create a relaxing pre-bed routine.
Get in the habit of doing some type of self-care that you really enjoy before bed, whether it’s a warm bath or reading a good book. This will help your body and mind relax, and prepare you for a good night’s sleep.
And when you start to feel drowsy, listen to your body, and just go to bed.
8 - Keep your bedroom comfortable
Having a room that is too hot, bright, or noisy can keep you from having a good night’s sleep. Ideally, your room will be cool, completely dark, and either silent or with white noise.
9 - Get light as soon as you wake up
Turn on the lights or open the blinds as soon as you wake. This tells your brain to wake up and start the day.
_____________
Well, there you have it. Sleep deprivation plays a significant part in weight gain. It could very well be the missing link to why you just can’t seem to achieve your weight loss goals.
I know it might not be the most simple change to make if you are used to sacrificing your sleep for other things, but trust me, you will feel so much better once you start prioritizing it. And your body will thank you.
If you need help putting these strategies in place, I would love to help you. Weight loss can be a hard journey on your own, but when you have the right coach to keep you accountable and help you create a strong foundation, your success is within reach.
And with the right amount of sleep, I can’t wait to see what you’re about to achieve!
Sarah Failla
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