Does Lack Of Sleep Affect Weight Loss Goals? We Asked The Experts

The importance of sleep for weight loss

There are several reasons you should prioritize a healthy sleep schedule if you want to lose weight. “Sleep plays an important role in weight management,” Gordan says. She explains that a lack of sleep can cause your hormones to become unbalanced, including the hormones that play a role in your appetite. 

“[A lack of sleep] leads to a decrease in leptin, the hormone responsible for suppressing appetite, and an increase of ghrelin, the hormone associated with stimulating appetite and craving carbohydrates,” she says. This means you may experience cravings for unhealthy foods that can throw a wrench in your weight loss goals. Another crucial hormone that a lack of sleep could impact is cortisol, which Gordan says triggers fat storage.

Then there’s the fact that you’re more likely to have poor judgment when it comes to the foods you eat if you’re especially tired. “When we are sleep-deprived, it can be more difficult to make healthy food choices and stick with a diet plan as cravings for unhealthy foods increase,” Gordan explains.

In addition to these cravings and poor food choices, sleep deprivation could also set you back in your workout routine. It could even slow your metabolism “Chronic exhaustion caused by inadequate amounts of sleep also makes it difficult to have the energy for exercise or other physical activity during the day; this means you might miss out on opportunities to increase calorie burn and metabolize stored fat,” Gordan warns.

Overall, there are so many reasons to prioritize a good night’s sleep and a consistent sleep schedule, from cognitive function to emotional health. And if you’re trying to slim down, that’s just one more reason to make sure you’re hitting the hay at a decent time. So remember to get your 8 hours–it’ll make all the difference!