FAQ: Can sleep affect my weight?

Actually, yes! Inadequate or poor sleep may influence your weight in a variety of ways. Sleep deprivation can sap your motivation to make healthy decisions the next day. If you’re exhausted, you might find you can’t muster the energy or interest to exercise. You might also notice an increased desire for food. Lack of sleep is thought to influence our hunger and fullness hormones (1). So not only will you desire more food, you might notice a dulling of your fullness or satisfaction post meal. This is a recipe for taking in more calories than you need. Finally, sleep deprivation may have an effect on other hormones (2) and neurotransmitters in our body that influence metabolism. So how much sleep do you need? For adults, the National Sleep Foundation recommends between 7 and 9 hours/night, but it’s important to experiment and find out how much sleep you need to feel your best. You can learn more about that here. Go grab those ZZZZs!