Will Not Getting Enough Sleep Make You Fat?
I think we’ve all probably heard this idea before: if you don’t get enough sleep you’re going to gain a lot of weight. Well, as with most things that you hear out there, I think it’s a good idea to check it out before accepting is as a scientific fact!
Well, leave it to Tom Venuto to tackle this topic and clear up some of the confusion. What he mentions is that there does seem to be a correlation between poor sleep and weight gain. But the real question is why does it happen?
Here is one of the basic explanations from his blog post:
Almost all the research on this subject has been cross sectional and therefore does not prove causality. Research suggests that the likely explanation is a disruption in hormones which can affect appetite and food intake so you are more likely to eat more when you are sleep deprived.
So it’s not necessarily the sleep that makes you fat, it’s what your body does to compensate for the lack of sleep that can help you develop certain habits. It seems like there are so many things in life that can have similar effects, so what it really seems to come down to is setting yourself up in the best environment that you can for success.
Tom’s post is well worth reading. You can get it here: Sleep Deprivation and Fat Gain
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Hi,
Those comments cannot be further from the truth
I myself before gain so much weight when I was regularly
working midnight shift. and I cannot sleep very well-
It’s like 2 to 3 hours a day and that won’t cut it!!!
Right?
nice thread…
Thanks,
Norry
Well, seems logical: if you sleep the whole day, you cannot eat during that time - ergo, the less you sleep the more you probably eat to make use of the time…
I’ve heard this before … which is worrisome, since I’m not getting quite enough sleep lately.
Sam - I’ve heard there’s a correlation between night eating and lack of sleep. Maybe just to fill the time like you suggest, although the article I read pointed more toward depression like issues, and food hitting the pleasure center in the brain.
Thanks for the article. It perfectly makes sense. After all, sleeping is another critical factor for health.
Lack of sleep will certainly take it’s toll no matter what your goals! My advice to everyone is to make sure you get a minimum of 7 hours. Any less may cause harm in the long term.
Thanks for the article!
Actually I have been suffering from menopause and unable to sleep .After reading this post I suspect that I may gain weight.
I have tried so many diet programs without success and nearly gave up, and then I bought and tried Fat Loss for Idiots. It is a no-nonsense approach that really worked for me!
well it also depends on when you eat before you sleep. if you eat a lot right before you go to bed your going to store a lot more fat then you would have if you did not.