Wellness Wednesday: The Link Between Under Sleeping And Overeating
Let’s face it: if you’re struggling with weight or feel like you can’t achieve the physique you want, chances are, your eating habits are partly to blame. But it’s not just about what you eat—it’s about how much you eat. And the real question is, why do you eat too much? The answer goes beyond simple hunger pangs. Whether you wake up ravenous, snack throughout the day, or come home starving, it often feels like your stomach is in a constant state of "feed me" mode.
While it’s easy to assume your hunger is driven by appetite alone, the reality is that the problem might be happening behind the scenes—in your brain. And one of the biggest culprits is something you might not expect: your sleep habits.
Sleep Deprivation and the Brain's "See Food" Diet
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reveals that just one night of insufficient sleep (less than 6 hours) is enough to trigger a shift in brain activity that influences your need to eat. In particular, lack of sleep activates the regions of the brain involved in reward-seeking behavior and impulsive decision-making, particularly the amygdala and frontal cortex.
When these brain areas are triggered, they heighten your attraction to food, particularly high-calorie, sugary, and fatty foods. Essentially, sleep deprivation makes you more likely to follow a "see food" diet—if you see it, you want to eat it.
This lack of sleep weakens the brain's ability to make rational, balanced decisions around food. The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for controlling impulses and making reasoned decisions, becomes less active when you're sleep-deprived. Meanwhile, the amygdala, your brain's emotional response center, becomes more reactive. This combination leads to more impulsive, emotion-driven food choices, often for foods that are calorie-dense and nutrient-poor.
The Hormonal Impact of Sleep Deprivation: Ghrelin and Leptin
Sleep deprivation doesn’t just affect your brain; it also wreaks havoc on the hormones that regulate hunger and fullness. Two key hormones—ghrelin and leptin—are dramatically affected by your sleep quality.
Ghrelin is often called the "hunger hormone." It signals your brain that it's time to eat. When you don’t get enough sleep, ghrelin levels increase, making you feel hungrier than usual.
Leptin is the hormone that tells your brain you’re full and satisfied. When you’re sleep-deprived, leptin levels decrease, which means your brain doesn’t get the message that you’ve eaten enough, and you end up continuing to eat, even when your body has had enough calories.
A 2004 study published in the journal PLOS Medicine found that participants who slept fewer than 5 hours per night had 15% more ghrelin and 15% less leptin compared to those who slept 7-9 hours. This imbalance in hunger-regulating hormones sets the stage for overeating, especially when combined with the brain’s heightened sensitivity to food rewards.
The Role of Cortisol in Stress and Cravings
Sleep deprivation also increases levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. While cortisol has many essential roles in the body, including regulating metabolism and energy, chronic elevation of cortisol due to lack of sleep can lead to increased cravings, particularly for sugary and fatty foods.
From a psychological standpoint, elevated cortisol levels are linked to emotional eating. When cortisol is high, your brain craves immediate rewards, and food becomes a quick way to soothe stress and anxiety. This response creates a cycle of stress-eating that leads to higher calorie intake and, over time, weight gain.
How Sleep Affects Your Fat Cells and Metabolism
Lack of sleep doesn't just affect your eating habits—it also impacts how your body processes and stores fat. University of Chicago researchers coined the term “metabolic grogginess” to describe how sleep deprivation alters your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and process insulin. Insulin is the hormone that helps your body use glucose for energy, but when you don’t get enough sleep, your cells become insulin-resistant.
When insulin resistance sets in, your body can no longer properly store glucose in your muscles and tissues. Instead, excess glucose stays in your bloodstream or gets stored as fat. Over time, this leads to increased fat storage, particularly around the abdomen, which can increase your risk of metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes and obesity.
In fact, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that people who were sleep-deprived while on a calorie-restricted diet lost 55% less fat compared to those who were well-rested. Despite eating the same amount of calories, the sleep-deprived group’s metabolism was unable to efficiently burn fat, leading to less fat loss and more muscle breakdown.
Sleep, Cravings, and Psychological Influence: The Brain on Sleep Deprivation
From a psychological perspective, sleep deprivation alters your emotional and cognitive control over food choices. The brain’s reward system is highly sensitive to food cues, especially when you’re running low on sleep. Research published in Nature Communications found that sleep-deprived individuals experienced heightened activity in the nucleus accumbens, the brain’s pleasure center, when shown pictures of high-calorie foods. This increased activity corresponds to a stronger desire for calorie-rich foods, even when not physically hungry.
Sleep deprivation also lowers activity in the insula, the part of the brain that helps regulate self-awareness and perception of body states. As a result, it becomes harder to recognize when you're full, leading to larger portion sizes and mindless eating. This psychological vulnerability to cravings, combined with hormonal imbalances, creates the perfect storm for overeating and weight gain.
The Bottom Line: Sleep is the Missing Piece in Your Health Puzzle
When it comes to controlling hunger and cravings, sleep is a critical factor. While proper nutrition and regular exercise are vital for health and fitness, insufficient sleep disrupts the delicate balance of hunger hormones, weakens impulse control, and heightens cravings for unhealthy foods. Poor sleep affects both your brain's ability to regulate eating behavior and your body's ability to metabolize food, making weight loss more difficult and increasing your risk of fat gain.
If you're struggling with cravings or find yourself overeating, it’s important to consider the quality of your sleep as part of the solution. Prioritizing sleep can help restore your hunger-regulating hormones to normal levels, improve your decision-making around food, and set you up for long-term success in your fitness and health goals.
So, while it might sound simple, getting more rest could be the key to reducing unnecessary hunger and cravings and keeping your eating habits in check.
Personalized Support for Your Health Journey
If you’re looking for personalized help controlling your hunger and making healthy food choices, a New Image coach can help you craft a plan tailored to your needs. Whether your goal is weight loss, muscle gain, or overall well-being, we provide 1-on-1 coaching to guide you through every step of the way.
