HEALTHLINE – Many people aren’t getting enough sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 39% of adults sleep fewer than 7 hours most nights, which is considered short sleep.
Sleep has a wide range of benefits on physical and mental well-being, but a lesser-known benefit is its support in maintaining a moderate weight.
Here are some reasons why getting enough sleep may help you lose weight.
May help you avoid weight gain associated with short sleep
Short sleep, usually defined as fewer than 6 to 7 hours, has been repeatedly linked to a higher body mass index (BMI) and weight gain.
One analysis of 20 studies including 300,000 people found a 41% increased obesity risk among adults who slept fewer than 7 hours per night. In contrast, sleep was not a factor in the development of obesity in adults who slept longer, at 7 to 9 hours per night.
Though lack of sleep is only one factor in the development of obesity, 2018 research suggests it negatively affects hunger levels, influencing a person to consume more calories from high fat and high sugar foods.
It may do this by affecting hunger hormone levels — increasing ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry, and decreasing leptin, which makes you feel full.
Ghrelin is a hormone released in the stomach that signals hunger in the brain. Its levels are high before you eat, when the stomach is empty, and low after you eat. Leptin is a hormone released from fat cells. It suppresses hunger and signals fullness in the brain.
Poor sleep may also negatively affect the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in increased levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress.
It may also suppress various hormones, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, which are linked to greater fat storage …
