Sleep deprivation making me fat!

[UserThenLotsOfNumbers]

As the title suggests really! Anyone else finding this?
I watched a sleep programme on BBC Iplayer last week and it explained how sleep deprivation affects hormones that make you hungry (or not). I'd suspected lack of sleep was a cause but now I know. I just feel so hungry all the time, but what I really need is a good nights sleep!
Lost all my baby weight within a few weeks, but then got bigger than I was in pregnancy within a few months!

Absolutely. And your hormones. And ignore all the

I used to drink a lot of squash in the night when my lo was keeping me up. I was indeed ravenous all the time!

Same here.

No wonder I can't loose weight 😴

I started a thread like this when DD - worst sleeper ever - was a baby and I got totally flamed. I stand by it though.

I'm sure it feels a relief to have something to blame for gaining weight but it still comes down to what you are putting in your mouth ! If you are hungry you can obviously eat food but it's got to be low fat/sugar .

Got an 9 week old and trying weight watchers (getting married in 18 months!) and middle of the night is the hardest. Definitely just want to eat all night! No idea why anyone would get flamed for this it totally makes sense, you're tired you need energy, the way to get energy is to consume calories! Hunger isn't always triggered by an empty stomach, the brain sends signals when blood sugar is low - makes total sense

You're right it is an excuse, but it is a valid one. It's the sugar that keeps me going!
Really this is a topic that will get flamed? This should be fun then! 😂

I figured this out when I was a teenager. I mean, I didn't understand all the hormones, but it was obvious that i wanted to eat more just because I was tired (physically & mentally).

It's not very helpful info when you're an insomniac.
I don't eat more on sleep-deprived days nowadays, so maybe some kind of mindfulness is much more important than hormone balance.

Hunger (at least for those of us in the well-nourished Western world) is largely controlled by our hormones. Insulin, leptin and grehlin (not gremlin, which my iPad corrects to ) are all responsible for telling us we're hungry/we're satisfied, and when out of balance, weight gain is likely.

There's also cortisol, a stress hormone, and too much of this also causes weight to increase - and lack of sleep raises our cortisol levels.

So yes, sleeping badly won't help.

However, on its own I'm not sure - it's also what you put in your mouth!!!

I don't snack or take drinks (other than sips of water) in the night and am suffering terrible insomnia - maybe that's why I'm so fat. There's no hope of curing my insomnia so I'm doomed :(

@BIWI 100% agree. I did say though sleep deprivation was "a" cause, not the only cause! The other cause is I like food too much lol

This has made me feel better. Been having a very stressful time and can't remember the last time I had a decent nights sleep (baby doesn't sleep well).

Been trying to lose weight but getting nowhere using the usual methods. This might explain it...

It definitely makes you hungry - I've had two kids who laugh in the face of sleep (oldest is 5 now) and I'm always hungry - I think it's the body trying to get energy back from another source, if it can't get enough rest. It's really hard to fight it and not just eat cake... I recommend high protein food like eggs for breakfast, fills you up more. And LOTS OF COFFEE.

Glad this thread has helped people. This is something that clearly affects a lot of people judging by responses so far. I definitely think stress comes into play too. My situation is I am sleep deprived but am also living in a flat that's being completely renovated, amongst other things. I know I shouldn't but it's easy to feel down and grab a couple of biscuits to make myself feel better. Feeling tired makes your resistance to this sort of thing low I find.

Totally agree. Feeling tired you just want something to boost your energy so caffeine or sugary snacks. I've recently started to get a bit more sleep (and I think more importantly usually now get one 4/4.5 hour chunk) and am finding that I have a lot more willpower to resist the sugary snacks.
Of course everyone knows it's what goes in your mouth that makes you fat.
Still another stone of baby weight to lose tho

Yes, it was when I returned to work especially after dc2, and was desperate to perk myself up enough so I didn't fall asleep and fall off my chair, that I had to resort to sugary snacks to cope. Once I got enough sleep that I wasn't that desperate for a boost, I stopped putting weight on.

Totally agree. I'm sitting here drinking coffee and eating a sugary donut. When I'm so so sleep deprived I can't face making a healthy breakfast. I want warm and comforting.

I then hit slumps throughout the day and crave biscuits and coffee.

I'm a 8 and half stone so not dreadfully overweight. I did join the gym as soon as i could after baby number 4 and it really helps with energy levels and working off the crap.

I feel that sleep deprivation is one of the causes of my weight gain. I wasn't significantly overweight until I had my first child 16 years ago (maybe half a stone). Since then I've gained two more and my sleep has been absolutely horrendous. I've never recovered from being hyper alert in the night incase one of my babies wanted me! Of course, also, I've given up smoking (twice) and been through the menopause in the past 16 years too but this not sleeping thing is an absolute killer. I have no energy, no motivation to exercise, depression, comfort eat. It's all part of the same cycle. Last night I slept 5 hours and I could cry.

So you have all my sympathies!

It does make a lot of sense! I also weigh more now than I did at 9 months pregnant I'm putting the blame on breastfeeding because of the packets of biscuits I eat all night