Sleep & Your Weight

There is substantial evidence from medical research that a correlation between sleeping and our weight exists. Changes in our appetite-regulating hormones may occur when we sleep too little. This means not getting enough sleep at night may ultimately cause a change in our weights, and not for the better.

The production of two appetite hormones, leptin and ghrelin, have been found in many studies to be affected by how much or how little we sleep. These hormones are best described as "checks and balances" to control our hunger and our fullness. Ghrelin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates appetite. Leptin, on the other hand, is produced in fat cells and sends signals to your brain when you are full.

What happens when you don't get enough sleep? These checks and balances don't work properly. When you don't sleep long enough or get enough quality sleep, leptin levels fall. This lower amount of leptin keeps you from feeling full and satisfied after you eat. Thus, you tend to keep eating and end up eating more than you expected, resulting in weight gain. At the same time, sleep deprivation causes an increase in ghrelin, which means your appetite is stimulated or increased, so it leaves you wanting more food. Again, weight gain can result.

The recommended amount of sleep each night is at least 6-8 hours. Make an extra effort to go to bed in time to get plenty of sleep because your weight and appetite may depend on it.