The Science of Weight Loss #11 Can Lack of Sleep Cause Weight Gain?
How Sleep Deprivation Changes Appetite and Metabolism "I only sleep about five hours on weekdays. I eat well, exercise regularly, and rarely skip a workout. So why won't the number on the scale go down?" If you've ever asked yourself this question, you're far from alone. When weight loss slows down, most people immediately blame their diet or assume they need to exercise harder. Yet one of the most important pieces of the puzzle is often overlooked: sleep . Despite doing everything "right," the scale sometimes refuses to move. That's because successful weight management depends on more than calories consumed and calories burned. Sleep deprivation can influence your appetite , metabolism, food choices, and even the way your body stores and uses energy. These changes are not simply a matter of motivation or self-control. They are driven by measurable biological processes that affect nearly every system involved in weight regulation. Over the past two ...