When I first read that sleeplessness can also result in weight gain, I was a little sceptical. My immediate thought was, “Aww! Come on! Now everything and anything is being attributed to lack of sleep! This is stretching it a bit!” I have included the excerpts from different health institutes for my re-assurance and as a caution for the readers.
Sleep duration has long been linked to the body's production of appetite-regulating hormones. Insufficient sleep is associated with higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite, and lower levels of the hormone leptin, which leads to feeling less full. This sets people up to gain weight. By contrast, sleeping more could alter these hormones and bring them back to balance.
"People might also feel more alert, energized, and happier with more sleep," Dr. Frates adds. "This could lead to more activity, even if it isn't exercise. It may lead to less sitting and more socializing."
In fact, many studies have shown that sleep deprivation (whether due to self-induction, insomnia, untreated sleep apnea, or other sleep disorders) commonly leads to metabolic dysregulation. Poor sleep is associated with increased oxidative stress, glucose (blood sugar) intolerance (a precursor to diabetes), and insulin resistance. Extra time spent awake may increase the opportunities to eat, and sleeping less may disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to weight gain. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/weight-loss-and-sleep
Not getting enough sleep has been linked to weight gain in general. For example, one meta-analysis looked at multiple studies and found sleep deprivation may lead to an increase in ghrelin — the hormone that makes you hungry — and a decrease in leptin — the hormone that suppresses appetite. It also usually leads to an increase in food intake and a decrease in exercise. This, of course, is a perfect storm for weight gain. But sleep deprivation can also make you gain belly fat specifically.
New research, published in 2022, found not getting enough sleep led to an increase in calorie intake, body fat, and belly fat. The researchers found people who slept four hours a night had a 9% increase in subcutaneous belly fat and an 11% increase in abdominal visceral fat, compared to those who slept 9 hours a night.
Along with eating too much and not exercising, sleep deprivation is another risk factor for becoming overweight and obese. Sleep affects the levels of two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, which control feelings of hunger and fullness. Leptin tells your brain that you’ve had enough to eat. Without enough sleep, your brain reduces leptin and raises ghrelin, which is an appetite stimulant. The flux of these hormones could explain nighttime snacking or why someone may overeat later in the night.
A lack of sleep can also make you feel too tired to exercise. Over time, reduced physical activity can make you gain weight because you’re not burning enough calories and not building muscle mass.
Sleep deprivation also causes your body to release less insulin after you eat. Insulin helps to reduce your blood sugar (glucose) level. Sleep deprivation also lowers the body’s tolerance for glucose and is associated with insulin resistance. These disruptions can lead to diabetes mellitus and obesity.
There is a lot of research in case the reader wants an in depth understanding. Even logical, clear thinking can lead us to the same conclusion.
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