Sleep and weight gain

Sleep and weight gain

There are several factors that connect weight gain with lack of quality sleep. The level of leptin, the protein that regulates appetite, is reduced when sleep is lacking, while ghrelin, the protein that stimulates appetite, increases. As a result, an individual who does not get sufficient sleep has an increased appetite. His body triggers the hunger sensation, so he eats more, which leads to weight gain.

The fatigue that results from disrupted sleep is another contributor to weight gain in OSA sufferers. Without the energy to exercise or even prepare healthier foods, these individuals have difficulty taking the necessary steps to lose the weight needed to get relief from their sleep disorder. In addition, some people misread their exhaustion as the result of low blood Sugar and literally feed the symptom, which compounds the weight problem.

While sleep apnea is most common in men over the age of 40 (particularly those who are overweight or obese), postmenopausal women are also at high risk of sleep apnea and the accompanying weight gain. A study of 53 women ranging in age between 24 and 72 showed that women with the lowest amounts of progesterone and astradiol experienced the most severe sleep disorders.[1]

“The hypothalamus is the center for nervous system regulation of hormonal production, and because sleep is basically regulated by the hypothalamus, which also regulates feeding desires, thirst, body temperature – or metabolism in general – it has the greatest demand for oxygen and glucose and fuel in general,” explains neurology specialist Gail Henry, DC, DABCN, DACNB.

Dr. Michael Cohen Tweet