Image from MedicalNewsToday of a sleep deprived man
Almost everyone is guilty of saying that I’ll sleep early tonight, only for it to be midnight and having the regret of not coming to bed earlier. This bad habit may be the reason you gain weight according to many studies.
Sleep deprivation takes many tolls on the human body, including messing with hormone levels. In scientific terms, lack of sleep causes a decrease in leptin and an increase in ghrelin. Leptin works to supress your appetite and ghrelin stimulates your appetite. A study found that sleep deprived individuals had 16% less leptin and 15% more ghrelin compared to a well rested person. This is a recipe for disaster because a decrease in leptin means more eating and an increase in ghrelin means even more eating!
Image of excess body fat from MedicalNewsToday
Not only does sleep deprivation mess with hormones, the tiredness also plays a role in weight gain. As a result of being tired, individuals are more inclined to skip the gym, ditch the kitchen and buy fast food, and finally, and are more prone to indulge in sugary and fatty foods. When the brain is low on sleep, impulsive decisions are made, and the cravings are given in to. A study showed that people who had less sleep were eating 10 more grams of sugar compared to someone who had a full night of sleep! Fat and carbohydrate consumption also increased in the sleep deprived group. The longer you are out of bed, the more time you have to eat unnecessarily.
Stock photo of a sleeping man from shutter stock
Getting your sleep is very important as the frequency of diabetes, which is very closely linked to obesity, is directly related to a lack of sleep. Since individuals with less shut-eye consumed more sugar, they were more prone to diabetes, and as a result of that, they put themselves on the path to obesity! Changes in metabolism, increased appetite and a decreased energy expenditure all directly relate to weight gain, and that can lead to more long term health problems.
Staying awake longer leads to a decline in physical activity due to being tired. More importantly, an increase in food consumption to provide more energy to stay awake longer. Sleep deprivation may be what you need to focus on in order to lose unwanted weight and get back into shape.
By Pawandeep Uppal
