The restorative process of sleep affects your health on various levels. Although lack of sleep has always been associated with decreased immunity and mental health, research indicates it might also contribute to weight gain through several mechanisms. Getting enough sleep will not help you lose significant weight in isolation, but it can serve as a valuable tool by positively influencing factors involved in achieving a healthy weight.
Glucose Metabolism and Blood Sugar
A 1999 study at the University of Chicago measured the effects of only sleeping four hours nightly, about half of the recommended amount for adults, on 11 healthy young men. After one week of inadequate sleep, metabolism of glucose slowed, which could lead to more being stored as fat. Additionally, their blood sugar regulation was negatively affected as much as someone suffering from diabetes.
Hormonal Changes
Getting enough sleep can help keep hormones involved in appetite regulation in check. A study in the December 2004 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine found that sleeping only four hours lowered levels of leptin, the hormone that triggers a feeling of fullness, by 18 percent and raised levels of gherlin, a hormone that stimulates the appetite, by 28 percent. The 1999 University of Chicago study also found that lack of sleep increased levels of cortisol -- a stress hormone that could lead you to eat more and decreased thyroid hormone, which helps regulate your metabolism.
Unhealthy Food Cravings
The 2004 study also found that participants craved carbohydrate-rich foods such as cookies, cakes, candy, bread and pasta more on nights they got less sleep and that the strength of the cravings was proportional to the amount of fluctuation in their appetite hormones. Eating too many carbohydrates leads your body to store excess glucose as fat, which can lead to weight gain.
Inadequate Sleep and Obesity Rates
Researchers from institutions such as the University of Wisconsin, Stanford University and Columbia University compiled data relating to sleep habits and weight and found less sleep was linked with higher incidences of obesity. According to their findings, released in 2004, those who slept for four or less hours were 73 percent more likely to be obese than those sleeping seven to nine hours. Sleeping only five or six was linked to a 50 percent chance of being obese. Getting less than 7.7 hours of sleep nightly has been linked with a higher BMI.
Recommended Sleep Time
To optimally influence the processes that will affect your weight, aim for eight hours nightly. But Dr. Timothy Morganthaler, writing for Mayoclinic.com, cautions against too much sleep. Sleeping more than 10 hours a night has been linked with various problems, including weight gain.
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