How does sleep deprivation affect weight loss?
Question by I Set Things On Fire: How does sleep deprivation affect weight loss?
I keep hearing that not getting enough sleep affects weight loss, but is it because it just makes you hungrier, or is there some chemical thing that actually makes it difficult to lose weight, no matter how little you eat?
For example, if I ate the same amount of calories on 5 hours of sleep a night that I did on 8 hours a night, would I still lose weight either way?
Best answer:
Answer by Poppy
The hormones leptin and ghrelin are the ones in charge of controlling and balancing the feeling of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates appetite, while leptin is produced in fat cells and sends a signal to the brain when you’re full. When you don’t get enough sleep, leptin levels decrease, making you unsatisfied when you finish eating. And ghrelin levels increase, making you more hungry than you’ll usually be.
Since these two hormones, which were proven by a Stanford study to go whacky when you’re not sleeping enough, are raging and going uncontrollably due to lack of sleep; you usually can’t control the overwhelming and powerfull hormonal imbalances, therefor you eat more and you gain weight.
Will power on the other hand, might help you. If you plan on sleeping for only 5 hours each night but restrict yourself to a certain amount of calories, you won’t gain weight. Since it’s been shown that those who sleep less crave high-carb foods and high-calorie foods. You could fight off the striking cravings, and still lose weight.
Yes. You could sleep for 5 hours a night and eat the same amount of calories that you would eat if you were sleeping 8 hours and lose weight.
But you have to look at the other side effects not sleeping has for you. You could end up fatigued, depressed, tired, stressed etc. Sleep deprivation is not good at all for overall health. So, you might want to reconsider that.
Best wishes!
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