Does a Lack of Sleep Increase Appetite
If you eat loads after a poor night's sleep, that's your body telling you that it needs more energy to function normally.
Studies show that a lack of sleep increases energy usage by as much as a third. Sleep reduces performance-based energy and optimises thermoregulatory response – simply put, it optimises your energy requirements.
A lot of this is down to hormones, which sleep regulates. This article explores why a lack of sleep increases appetite and makes you eat more.
Let's jump in!
Increased energy demands
A lack of sleep triggers a physiological adaptation (increased appetite) to provide the energy needed to sustain wakefulness.
Studies show that sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on the body's energy metabolism, whose response is to signal excess energy stores.
The by-product is reduced dietary restraint and poor diet choices, where you consume foods and drinks that give you energy but little nutrition.
Enhanced odour processing
One of the most exciting things about a lack of sleep is that it enhances an odour-processing brain region called the piriform cortex to encode smells strongly. This makes you sniff out food and crave whatever's in the air.
By changing the way your brain processes odours, a lack of sleep boosts your intake of high-calorie foods (usually from fast food chains).
Increased Ghrelin (hunger hormone) production
With the need for more energy, your body releases Ghrelin (the hunger hormone), which makes you feel starving.
A lack of sleep increases Ghrelin levels in the body, which is why you feel hungry when tired. More Ghrelin makes you crave fast-acting carbs like Glucose and medium-acting carbs like pasta, bread, cereal, and chips.
This is why cereal tastes so good in the morning - it combines Glucose (sugar) with starch (complex carbs).
Increased fat storage from Cortisol (stress hormone) production
While one day of overeating won't make you gain weight, those who consistently have nights of poor sleep and overeat are at risk of obesity.
Insufficient sleep reduces dietary restraint, leading to poor nutritional choices and impacting energy metabolism.
Studies show that sleep deprivation increases Cortisol (stress hormone) production, which can increase fat storage over time.
Increased Cortisol prompts the body to store more fat, leading to weight gain. It also re-wires your body's energy reserves, making it use muscle for energy instead of fat, which impacts carbohydrate metabolism.
The more sleep deprived we are, the more Cortisol we produce. Cortisol is also known to trigger heightened anxiety, stress, and fear – this can impact your mental health and lead to further sleep deprivation and poor dietary choices.
The bottom line
If you've made it this far, you now know that:
- A lack of sleep increases energy demands by a third
- A lack of sleep makes you sniff out high-calorie foods
- A lack of sleep reduces dietary constraint
- A lack of sleep makes you hungry with Ghrelin production
- A lack of sleep increases fat storage with Cortisol production
This means that a lack of sleep triggers physiological and behavioural changes, and these can lead to severe weight again left unchecked.
Sleep tips that work
If sleep problems are causing you issues, we have ten tips for a better night's sleep here, or you can try some of the tips below:
- Create a sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at set times every day – this will bring your body clock in line.
- Avoid screens an hour before bedtime so that blue light does not impact Melatonin (sleep hormone) production.
- Avoid caffeine six hours before bedtime because it disrupts sleep – taking it easy on tea, coffee, and chocolate.
- Get a mattress that makes you super-comfortable – check out our award-winning mattresses for ideas.
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature. You can also stay warm in bed with these tips.
Good luck in your quest to sleep better!