6 Ways Sleep Impacts Weight Loss

There is clear evidence to suggest that sleep impacts weight loss. The amount of sleep you get each night and the quality of sleep you experience can be just as important for weight loss as your diet and lifestyle choices.

For many of the women I work with, deep, restful, high quality sleep is often a missing piece of the weight loss puzzle and is something that can hold them back from achieving results for years before they come to see me.

Here’s how sleep (or a lack of) can impact weight loss.

1. A lack of sleep can lead to weight gain

A lack of sleep or “short sleep”, defined as fewer than 6-7 hours per night, is consistently associated with higher body mass index (BMI) and weight gain.

One study showed that a lack of sleep can significantly contribute to mid section weight gain (1)

Another review showed that a lack of sleep was associated with a higher risk of obesity.

Lack of sleep affects hunger levels by altering hunger hormones, increasing ghrelin (which makes you feel hungry) and decreasing leptin (which makes you feel full) . Poor sleep also affects the sympathetic nervous system, increasing cortisol levels, and suppressing hormones like IGF-1, which is linked to greater fat storage .

The influence that sleep has on your hormones is significant and cannot be ignored if you are struggling to lose weight.

2. Sleep Impacts Weight loss by Regulating Your Appetite

Adequate sleep can help prevent the increase in appetite and calorie intake that comes with a lack of sleep. A lack of sleep has a negative impact on decision making and impulse control.

Sleep deprivation increases hunger, food cravings, portion sizes, and intake of high-calorie foods . This is partly due to changes in hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin .

3. Sleep Impacts Weight Loss by Helping with Impulse Control

A full night’s sleep supports healthier food choices. Lack of sleep alters brain function, making it harder to resist those unhelpful foods. I see many of my sleep deprived clients struggling with impulse control at certain times throughout the day as their energy starts to dip. Usually around 11am, 3-4pm and sometimes in the evening around 7:30-8pm.

In these situations, instead of reaching for more coffee, chocolate, biscuits, bars or some other treat to get you through, consider a fruit mocktail consisting of 1/2 of juice of your choice (fresh is best like Nudie orange juice), 1/2 a cup of coconut water and add a pinch of salt.

This drink will give you a little sugar hit combined with nutrients like potassium, sodium and whole food vitamin c which can improve your energy levels and support you to get through the day.

Research shows that sleep-deprived individuals have greater brain responses to high-calorie foods and are more likely to choose unhealthy options. (2)

Sleep deprivation also increases sensitivity to food smells, leading to higher consumption of high-calorie foods. Poor sleep often results in higher intake of high-calorie, sugary, and fatty foods to compensate for low energy levels.

4. High Quality Sleep Supports Metabolic Function

High quality sleep helps to prevent decreases in metabolism caused by sleep deprivation. Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is influenced by factors like age, weight, height, sex, and muscle mass, and sleep duration also plays a role.

Prolonged sleep depravation can significantly decrease your resting metabolic rate making weight loss harder than it needs to be.

Your resting metabolic rate is a factor that has the greatest impact on your ability to lose weight. We must optimise metabolic function through hormone balance, restful sleep and nutrition choices to support effective, long lasting results.

5. Sleep Helps You to Stop Late Night Snacking

You cant snack if you’re asleep!

Many of the women I work with find that the evenings are a major problem time when it comes to snacking and impulse control.

Late-night eating is linked to weight gain, higher BMI, and decreased fat oxidation, making weight loss more challenging. Eating close to bedtime, particularly large meals, can also reduce sleep quality, exacerbating sleep deprivation. Limiting food intake 2-3 hours before bed and choosing small, protein-rich snacks if necessary can help.

While eating too close to bed time can negatively impact sleep, going to bed hungry or with low blood sugar levels can also be a problem. If you find yourself needing an evening snack consider the Cacao and Coconut Bliss Balls, Greek or vanilla yoghurt with stewed fruit and cinnamon, dates with cheese, a couple of squares of dark chocolate or some other portion controlled snack that will support you in getting a restful nights sleep.

6. Sleep May Support You to be Motivated to Exercise

The last thing I want to do after a restless nights sleep is exercise.

Sleep and physical activity are closely linked. Lack of sleep reduces physical activity, and less physical activity can worsen sleep quality. Regular exercise can improve sleep quality and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep .

Daytime fatigue from lack of sleep decreases motivation to exercise, leading to a more sedentary lifestyle. This sedentary lifestyle can be stressful for the body and may in some cases inhibit weight loss. Poor sleep also negatively affects exercise performance by reducing reaction time, fine motor skills, muscular power, endurance, and problem-solving skills . It can also increase injury risk and delay recovery.

Summary

If you are struggling to lose weight, it might be time to asses the duration and quality of your sleep. Most adults need around 7-9 hours of sleep per night to support their weight loss goals and overall health.

During a naturopathic consultation I can help you to uncover the root cause of your sleep challenges. Once we understand the cause we can use diet changes, nutrients, herbs or other interventions like hypnotherapy to support deep, restful, rejuvenating sleep.

Here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Work with me! Book a consultation in person (Evandale, SA) or AUS + NZ wide online via Zoom

2. Listen to the Holistic Weight Loss Podcast

3. Connect with me on Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook

(1) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25581918/

(2) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329320303438