It is without question that having enough sleep is fundamental to our health. The amount of sleep varies per age group and it is necessary to complete your sleep in order to become healthier.
Impacts Of Sleep On Weight Gain
A lot of people are asking what happens if they do not have enough sleep. Studies show that sleep deprivation has a lot of impact on someone’s mental and physical health. They are at risk of more illnesses and diseases. But one of the major impacts of lack of sleep is weight gain.
Here are several changes that happen in our bodies when we do not get enough sleep.
- Change In Hormones
Growth Hormone
A number of different hormones activate while the body is sleeping. One of the most important hormones that are released during sleep is the growth hormone released by the pituitary gland that is responsible for growing and also repairing your body.
When a person is sleep-deprived, the growth hormone secretion is delayed. This creates an unreliable surge of growth hormones in the body that can have a huge impact in weight loss or gain.
Leptin
Another hormone that is affected by sleep is leptin. This hormone is released by fat cells to control one’s appetite. It signals the hypothalamus of the brain that there is enough body fat, so the brain responds by expanding the energy stored in fat cells.
If someone has a high amount of leptin in their system, they feel less hungry. However, the lack of sleep affects the production of leptin. There are studies that show that the amount of leptin decreases when the body is not rested enough, and therefore, there is no safeguard against hunger even if there are enough body fats.
Ghrelin
While leptin reduces food cravings, ghrelin is the hormone responsible for triggering your feeling of hunger. Studies show that when someone lacks sleep, the amount of ghrelin in the body increases, and thus, people who are more sleep-deprived want to eat more. This applies even to people of normal weight who do not get enough sleep in just one night.
- Increase In Food Cravings
Feeling Of Hunger
Because of the hormone changes that the body experiences when one lacks sleep, you feel more hungry despite having enough body fats that store energy in the body.
Increase In Sugar Intake
Studies show that people who do not have enough sleep are more likely to crave sugar than those with enough sleep. For people who are on a weight loss plan, it can be more difficult to restrain your cravings and lead to a substantial weight gain.
More Time To Eat
Aside from that, since you are awake for longer periods of time, the desire to eat more snacks becomes a problem especially if you are trying to lose some weight. Having enough sleep ensures that you do not need to have midnight snacks that can increase your weight further.
- Less Energy To Exercise
Glycogen In Muscles
Feeling exhausted for long periods of time because of lack of sleep discourages you to maintain a schedule for your workouts. This is because the energy you get from working out is extracted from the glycogen on the muscles. When you are running low on glycogen, you will start to feel fatigued.
If you work out with little to no sleep, your body will feel fatigued even if there is still enough glycogen on your body,
Less Time For Recovery
Pushing yourself to exercise even though you do not have enough rest can also be harmful. Our body needs to recover every day after exerting a certain effort. Without proper sleep, our bodies do not have enough time to recover and be in their full potential the next day.
- You Become More Anxious
Anxiety And Sleep Deprivation
Anxiety and sleep deprivation almost goes hand in hand. People who are anxious find it hard to sleep at night, and because of the hormonal changes that affect people who are sleep deprived, they may experience more anxiety. It seems like it is a never-ending cycle that creates more problems as they go on.
Cortisol Levels
Another hormone that is affected by sleep is cortisol. While it does not have a direct relation to weight loss or gain, it does affect your level of stress and anxiety. A normal level of cortisol is healthy to keep us functioning during the day.
Cortisol lowers during the sleep and only peaks right after we wake up. However, if someone lacks sleep, their bodies do not have enough time to lower their cortisol level before peaking, and thus, creates more anxiety.
Increase Cravings
While different people react to anxiety, around 39% of people overeat when they are anxious or stressed. This affects people who are trying to lose weight as anxiety is a more complex problem to deal with. Binge-eating is a problem common to people who are in stressful situations and lack of sleep just adds to the difficulties they face.
Recommended Sleep Per Age Group
The amount of sleep necessary for each age group is different as the body undergoes change as it grows older. Younger children need to sleep for up to half a day in order to stay healthy and grow properly.
For teenagers, the recommended hours of sleep goes down to 8-10 hours a day. Adults, on the other hand, can sleep for 7-9 hours a day and still feel rested. For people ages 65 and up, recommended hours of sleep goes down to 7-8 hours a day.
Final Thoughts
Although it is widely acknowledged that having enough sleep is important, a lot of people still do not get enough sleep. While work and other activities are important, you need to balance your life in order to stay fit and healthy.
Remember that even one night of sleep deprivation can already cause a lot of changes in your body. If you do not want to gain more weight and working to lose a few pounds, then having a complete sleep is one of the first takes you have to take.