Sleep Care
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At a Glance
Q: Can poor sleep slow weight loss?
A: Yes. Sleep deprivation disrupts hunger hormones and metabolism, making weight loss harder. Better sleep can help control appetite and support calorie burn.
- Hunger hormones become dysregulated
- Less sleep can increase cravings
- Sleep helps metabolism
If you’re trying to lose weight, you probably know you should focus on diet and exercise. But did you know that sleep also impacts weight loss?
Dr. Michelle Noel, medical director of Kettering Health Sleep Centers, and Chelsea Zastrow, a nurse practitioner specializing in medical weight loss and bariatric surgery, explain how sleep deprivation impacts our weight.
Circadian rhythm and hunger hormones
According to Dr. Noel, hormones require proper sleep and normal circadian rhythms to function properly. This is especially true for leptin and ghrelin, two hormones that control hunger and metabolism.
Leptin signals to the brain that we are full after eating. Ghrelin, on the other hand, signals to our brain that we are hungry if our stomachs are empty. A lack of sleep can cause lower leptin levels and higher ghrelin levels than normal. This means we will feel hungry, no matter what we eat.
“So those hormones are going to be the complete opposite of what you want them to be for weight loss,” Dr. Noel says.
Sleep and metabolism
In addition to dysregulated hunger hormones, sleep deprivation also reduces our resting metabolic rate, according to Chelsea. A lower resting metabolic rate means you burn fewer calories at rest throughout the day.
“When sleep is impaired, our calorie needs decrease while our appetite often increases. As a result, individuals with poor sleep would need to eat even less just to maintain their current weight—making weight loss significantly more difficult,” Chelsea says.
Sleep deprivation also makes us crave higher-fat and higher-carb foods, and because our hunger hormones are dysregulated, we tend to eat more than we actually need. This can lead to unintentional weight gain despite regular physical exercise.
Getting enough sleep
Knowing that a lack of sleep can inhibit weight loss is the first step. Understanding whether you’re getting enough sleep is the next.
Dr. Noel says an easy test to know if you’re sleeping enough is to pay attention to whether you get tired throughout the day.
If you sit down on the couch after work, do you fall asleep? Do you struggle to stay awake during a long lecture? Do you rely on coffee and energy drinks to get through the day? Then you’re probably not getting enough sleep.
“You should be bored, not tired,” Dr. Noel says. “If you have to keep yourself busy to not fall asleep, you’re either not getting enough sleep, or the quality of your sleep isn’t good.”
If you struggle to stay awake throughout the day, talk to your doctor about checking for vitamin deficiencies and thyroid issues. Dr. Noel then recommends a sleep study if there are no obvious health issues disrupting your sleep and energy levels.
Are you struggling with sleep? Schedule with a primary care provider.
Schedule an appointmentPeople Often Ask
Poor sleep can slow progress, even with healthy eating and regular exercise. It may increase appetite and reduce calorie burn, making it harder to see results over time.
Most adults need 7–9 hours of sleep per night. Getting enough sleep supports healthy hormones and metabolism, which can make weight loss easier.
Lack of sleep can increase cravings for high-fat, high-carb foods. Your body looks for quick energy, which often leads to overeating less healthy options.
Common signs include daytime sleepiness, frequent hunger, strong cravings, and stalled weight loss despite healthy eating and exercise.
Talk to a doctor if you feel tired most days, rely on caffeine to stay awake, or can’t improve your sleep. They may check for medical issues or suggest a sleep study.
