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How Sleep Affects your Metabolic Health

If you’ve ever woken up feeling exhausted, struggled to concentrate, or needed multiple cups of coffee just to get through the day, you might be experiencing the effects of poor sleep. In addition to feeling tired, you may also notice:


✔️ Increased Hunger and Cravings – Particularly for sugary, salty, or high-calorie foods.

✔️ Mood Swings and Irritability – Lack of sleep makes it harder to regulate emotions.

✔️ Sluggishness and Low Energy – Simple tasks feel overwhelming.

✔️ Brain Fog and Difficulty Focusing – Memory and problem-solving abilities suffer.

✔️ Frequent Snacking and Overeating – Especially between meals.

✔️ Lack of Motivation for Exercise or Cooking – Healthy habits feel too exhausting to maintain.


If this sounds familiar, your sleep patterns may be influencing your weight without you even realizing it!  Don’t worry, you’re not the only one sleep disorders are prevalent, yet many individuals remain undiagnosed.


  • Approximately 50 to 70 million U.S. adults experience sleep disorders, with about one-third not regularly obtaining the recommended amount of uninterrupted sleep (1).

  • About one-third of adults report some insomnia symptoms, with 10% to 15% experiencing daytime impairments. However, only 4% to 22% have symptoms severe enough to meet the criteria for insomnia disorder (3).

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) prevalence ranges from 9% to 38% in the general adult population, with higher rates in older adults (9)

 

The Connection Between Sleep, Hormones, and Weight Gain


Sleep is essential for overall health, but did you know it also plays a key role in weight management? Research shows that poor sleep quality can lead to weight gain by disrupting hunger-regulating hormones and reducing energy levels (8).

When we don’t get enough sleep, our body struggles to regulate two critical appetite-related hormones, Leptin and Ghrelin. When we don't get enough sleep we have lower Leptin levels, making us feel hungrier and higher ghrelin levels leading to cravings for high-calorie foods and snacking between meals (8). In addition, low energy levels from sleep deprivation make people less likely to engage in physical activity, and bothersome tasks, like cooking meals at home, (4).


The Sleep-Deprivation Cycle and Metabolism


Your body burns calories all day—even when you’re resting. But sleep deprivation slows this process down, making it easier to store fat, especially around your belly (6). Worse, not sleeping enough increases cortisol, a stress hormone that signals your body to hold onto fat (5).


Chronic sleep deprivation has been associated with:

✔️ Increased insulin resistance

✔️ Slower calorie-burning rates

✔️ Increased fat accumulation, particularly around the midsection (2,8,9)


If you’re trying to manage your weight but struggle with poor sleep, breaking this cycle is crucial for success.


How to Improve Sleep and Support Weight Loss


✔️ Stick to a Sleep Schedule – Go to bed and wake up at the same time or close to it, every day. Yes, even on weekends and holidays.

✔️ Limit Screen Time Before Bed – Blue light from devices disrupts melatonin production.

✔️ Avoid Late-Night Snacking – Eating too close to bedtime can impact sleep quality.

✔️ Get Active – Regular physical activity improves sleep and supports weight management.

 

The relationship between your health and sleep is complex—but understanding how they interact can help your take control of their health. By addressing sleep disorders, making lifestyle modifications, and exploring new treatment options like Tirzepatide (6), it is possible to break the cycle and improve both sleep and weight management.


Your well-being is our priority—let’s achieve it together!


Schedule an appointment today to receive a personalized treatment plan and take the first step toward better sleep and improved health. At Phoenix Metabolic Health, we're here to support your journey toward a healthier life and more restful nights.



Referenes

  1. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2023). Undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorders: Barriers to care. Retrieved from https://aasm.org

2.      BaHammam, A. S., Singh, T. D., Ullah, A., & Abdo, A. A. (2016). Obesity hypoventilation syndrome: A review of epidemiology and pathophysiology. Anesthesia: Essays and Researches, 10(2), 218–222.

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Sleep difficulties in adults: United States, 2020. National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief No. 436. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov

  2. Gottlieb, D. J., & Punjabi, N. M. (2020). Diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnea. JAMA, 323(14), 1389–1400.

5.      Healthline. (2024). The Complex Relationship Between Sleep Apnea and Weight Gain. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-apnea/sleep-apnea-weight-gain

  1. Institute of Medicine. (2006). Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation: An unmet public health problem. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

7.      Malhotra, A., et al. (2024). Tirzepatide for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. Published June 21, 2024. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2403377

8.      Obesity Medicine Association. (2024). Sleep Apnea and Obesity. Retrieved from https://obesitymedicine.org/blog/sleep-apnea-and-obesity/

  1. Peppard, P. E., Young, T., Barnet, J. H., Palta, M., Hagen, E. W., & Hla, K. M. (2013). Increased prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in adults. American Journal of Epidemiology, 177(9), 1006-1014.

  2. Pulmonology Advisor. (2024). Sleep Apnea and Obesity: Is There a Bidirectional Relationship? Retrieved from https://www.pulmonologyadvisor.com/features/sleep-apnea-and-obesity/

  3. Young, T., Skatrud, J., & Peppard, P. E. (2004). Risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea in adults. JAMA, 291(16), 2013–2016.

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