A lack of sleep can make your weight increase. Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders such as insomnia may result in an increased appetite, which can lead to weight gain.

This blog post is all about how not getting enough sleep is making you put on weight! We will discuss the correlation between insufficient sleep and weight gain, what you should do if your doctor says that your sleeping patterns need fixing and we’ll also go into detail about some useful tips for improving the quality of your sleep.

Your sleepy brain can’t tell your body it’s time to burn fat

You don’t feel like exercising or eating healthily when you’re tired and sleep-deprived, so you end up making unhealthy diet choices.

When we don’t get enough normal sleep our hormones go haywire which can lead to gaining weight – especially around the waistline.

If lack of sleep is causing you problems then there are things that you could do such as taking a good night’s sleep supplement, getting more exercise during the day, and cutting out caffeine after lunchtime; however, if this does not work for any reason speak to an expert about other options available to improve your sleeping pattern.

Sleep and diabetes

It has been known for some time that there is a connection between sleep duration and diabetes. It was found in one study conducted on mice, that those who had their sleep-deprived became less sensitive to insulin which led them to have higher blood glucose levels. This seems reasonable as being tired could cause you not to be able to carry out your usual activities such as exercising or eating healthily without feeling too exhausted. However, it doesn’t mean everyone will develop type two diabetes if they don’t get enough sleep because each person is different with varying tolerances of lack of sleep but research suggests obesity may increase the risk of developing this condition so maintaining good sleeping habits can help keep weight gain under control.

Sleep and metabolism

Sleep deprivation is now proven to decrease your body’s resting metabolic rate.

One study found that sleep-restricted people burned on average 248 fewer calories each day, which over time will have a significant impact on weight gain. This isn’t just because of what you eat but how much energy you burn through daily activity and exercise. The lack of sleep means it takes more effort for muscles to do their job properly so they rely heavily on glycogen stores – this can mean burning muscle tissue as well as fat if not enough restorative slumber has been achieved night after night. Not only does this lead to loss of lean mass (and therefore strength), but research shows it also decreases leptin levels – the hormone responsible for telling you to stop eating.

If you are not sleeping enough, it will be very hard to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight – especially if you’re trying to lose pounds of fat too. The best way is by making sure that all factors are in place: dieting and exercising should go hand in hand with getting an adequate amount of sleep every night (at least six hours). This will help improve insulin sensitivity which then helps stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the day, meaning less time spent feeling hungry whether it’s the first thing at breakfast or last thing before bedtime. It still amazes me how much our bodies change when we catch up on some sleep.

Sleep as a medicine

Sleep is an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to weight loss. It has been shown that sleep deprivation can cause the release of hormones that make you feel hungry, leading to people consuming more food than usual. A lack of sufficient sleep will also lead to lower levels of endocannabinoids in your system (endocannabinoids are a compound that helps manage appetite). This means that without enough sleep not only are you likely to eat more but also be less satisfied with the amount you have eaten.

The relationship between poor sleeping patterns and obesity goes both ways too; studies show that obese individuals tend to get less sleep on average compared with their slimmer counterparts while some research suggests there may be a genetic link between being overweight/obese and having trouble sleeping or suffering from sleep disorders.

Why is this? One of the potential reasons why obesity and poor sleeping patterns are linked has to do with how your body responds when you sleep, specifically during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stages. During these stages, your brain releases something called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which among other things helps control energy balance by managing appetite-stimulating hormones like ghrelin and leptin alongside dopamine levels in the reward center of our brains; basically telling us if we should feel hungry or full after eating certain amounts/types foodstuffs. When someone doesn’t get enough sleep they don’t experience as much BDNF release while research suggests that obese individuals tend to have lower than average levels already leading to them feeling hungry more often.

According to a study, people who sleep for less than five hours per day are at an increased risk of death.

If you’re experiencing a lack of sleep, it is important that you talk with your doctor about this problem and what treatment options may be appropriate for your needs. Your physician will provide medical advice on the matter, but in general sleeping pills like Ambien (zolpidem) or Lunesta (eszopiclone), can help with short-term sleep problems resulting from insomnia. Some other helpful tips include taking warm baths before bedtime; keeping the bedroom cool; avoiding caffeine after noon; reducing alcohol intake near bedtime; using earplugs if the noise disturbs sleep and getting exercise during the day.

Can lack of sleep cause rapid weight gain?

The answer is yes. If you are not getting enough sleep, then your body will be constantly in a state of stress and this can lead to weight gain which might affect your overall health condition. Lack of sleep over even a short time period can cause the following changes:

Increase appetite

Lack of sleep affects hormones that control hunger so it makes sense that after being deprived of much-needed rest for days or weeks, one would have increased food cravings as well as an increase in appetite leading them to put on weight as they take more calories than what their bodies need at any given point in time.

A number of studies also show that those who don’t get an adequate amount of uninterrupted quality sleep tend to eat less healthy foods compared with those who sleep well. This is because those who are deprived of sleep tend to crave high carbohydrate and sugary foods, which leads them to put on weight as they take more calories than what their bodies need at any given point in time.

Decrease metabolism

Lack of sleep slows down the metabolism leading you to burn fewer stored fats that could have otherwise been used up by your body if it had enough restful hours each night.

This decrease in metabolic rate can cause a spike in weight even when there has not been an actual change in food intake or activities performed during the day compared with those who get good quality deep uninterrupted sleep every night and therefore maintain a higher level of activity throughout the day since their energy levels remain much higher so they can get more tasks done.

Imbalance in hormones

Sleep deprivation disrupts your circadian rhythms and disturbs the normal production and release of key hormones such as cortisol (a stress hormone), melatonin (which helps regulate other hormones) leptin, ghrelin, and insulin which are all important for controlling appetite, hunger levels, metabolism and how you feel full after a meal.

Since lack of sleep also impacts brain function including mood control it is quite easy to understand why someone who has not had enough quality time sleeping might be constantly feeling stressed out or anxious about things that don’t even warrant this reaction while at the same time having an increase in food cravings due to changes in hormone levels which affect appetite. All these lead them to put on weight as they take more calories than what their bodies need at any given point in time.

Poor judgment

Lack of sleep causes an increase in reaction time and a decrease in attention span, which can lead you to make poor decisions such as choosing unhealthy food options that are very convenient but not good for your health.

This is another reason why those who suffer from sleep deprivation tend to put on weight since they may be making bad choices with regards to the kind of foods they eat or how much of it they eat compared with those who get enough restful hours every night and therefore maintain higher levels of activity throughout the day because their energy levels remain high due this preserving metabolic rate so one doesn’t feel tired easily after performing minor tasks.

Lack of sex drive

Lack of sleep causes a decrease in testosterone production and also increases the levels of cortisol which is known as “the stress hormone”, both these lead to decreased libido or even loss of interest in having sexual relations with your partner.

This can cause those who suffer from sleep deprivation to put on weight since they tend to eat more than what their bodies need at any given point due to changes in appetite as well as cravings for foods that are high carbohydrate and sugary instead of healthy ones compared with those who get enough restful hours every night and therefore maintain higher levels activity throughout the day because their energy remains much higher so they feel like doing more physically demanding tasks without getting tired quickly.

Can lack sleep make you weigh more?

One of the most common side effects that people face is weight gain. These extra pounds are often caused by poor lifestyle choices, but there may be another factor you’re not aware of: sleep deprivation.

A recent study found that just one night without sleep can result in increased carbohydrate cravings and food intake for healthy individuals (Results showed an average increase in calories consumed during the 24-hour period after no sleep was 22% higher than when subjects had slept normally). Other studies have shown similar results, linking short-term sleep loss to increased body mass index (BMI) as well as obesity risk factors such as low HDL cholesterol levels, high triglyceride concentrations, and insulin resistance (results were independent of changes in physical activity or sedentary behavior).

If this is something that concerns you, then it’s time to look at what may be causing your poor sleeping patterns and how they can affect weight gain.

What’s the Cause of Poor Sleep Quality?

There are many potential causes for lack of sleep but two common factors in adults are stress and anxiety (especially work-related). Lack of exercise (or sedentary behavior) is also a contributing factor since when we sit all day our energy levels begin to drop which means less activity during the day leading to lethargy in bedtime hours. Other health issues such as depression or insomnia can also cause insufficient restful sleep. Getting too much light exposure before bed (thanks to technology!) has been shown to decrease melatonin production which can cause disrupted sleep patterns.

Fortunately, there are also many things you can do to improve your sleeping habits and increase energy levels during the day (which means fewer cravings for carbs). Here are some simple solutions that may help:

  • Exercise regularly to boost daytime activity levels as well as promote a better quality of sleep at night. The National Sleep Foundation recommends thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, but every little bit helps! Make sure not to work out too late in the day though or it will affect restful sleep at bedtime instead.
  • Give yourself plenty of time before going to bed so you aren’t rushing around trying to get ready for bed when all your body wants is relaxation.
  • Get as much natural light exposure during the day as possible to help promote better sleep patterns at night. Open your blinds, get outside!
  • Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed (especially after dinner time) since they can cause disrupted sleeping habits.
  • If you are experiencing anxiety or depression-related insomnia make sure to talk to your doctor about it so that he or she can prescribe an appropriate treatment plan for you. Lifestyle changes alone may not be enough in this case.

By taking these tips into consideration, hopefully, poor sleep quality will become a thing of the past and give way to more energy throughout the day which means less weight gain too.

How does lack of sleep lead to weight gain?

Sleep-deprived people take in around 300 extra calories a day or an extra meal’s worth of food.

Lack of sleep is linked to changes in levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin as well as insulin which can lead to weight gain. These hormones tell you how hungry you are and if your body needs energy from food. People who sleep less tend to have higher levels of ghrelin meaning they feel more hungry than those who get enough sleep.

When we don’t get enough sleep it means our bodies release more hunger hormones signaling that we need more carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, biscuits, and cakes. Lack of sleep also leads to people taking in more calories because they are awake longer so eat more food than usual. It has even been suggested sleep deprivation may reduce the amount of energy we burn while resting; this means our metabolism slows down causing us to gain weight.

How much weight can you gain from lack of sleep?

Studies show that you can gain about five to ten pounds in weight from sleep deprivation. This is due to a few factors:

  • You’re not getting enough quality exercise.
  • Lack of good food choices and consumption (e.g., too much junk food).
  • More opportunity for snacking on high-calorie foods such as chocolate or crisps, etc.

The more awake we are the less likely we will make healthy decisions. Even if you do get your head around eating better it won’t be very effective when you’re tired anyway! Try cooking something while half asleep and see how well that goes.

It makes us eat more than usual. It’s interesting to see that we actually take in more calories than normal when sleep-deprived. The body also stores the extra food as fat – which is why you can gain weight so quickly if you don’t get enough shut-eye!