mayoclinic.org

view original (slow to load)

Appointments at Mayo Clinic

Request Appointment

Is too little sleep a cause of weight gain?

Answers from Donald Hensrud, M.D.

It might be. Recent studies have suggested an association between sleep duration and weight gain. Sleeping less than five hours — or more than nine hours — a night appears to increase the likelihood of weight gain.

In one study, recurrent sleep deprivation in men increased their preferences for high-calorie foods and their overall calorie intake. In another study, women who slept less than six hours a night or more than nine hours were more likely to gain 11 pounds (5 kilograms) compared with women who slept seven hours a night. Other studies have found similar patterns in children and adolescents.

One explanation might be that sleep duration affects hormones regulating hunger — ghrelin and leptin — and stimulates the appetite. Another contributing factor might be that lack of sleep leads to fatigue and results in less physical activity.

So now you have another reason to get a good night's sleep.

With

Donald Hensrud, M.D.

Sleep and technologySleep guidelinesShareTweetApril 16, 2015

References

Benedict C, et al. Acute sleep deprivation enhances the brain's response to hedonic food stimuli. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2012;97:E443.Lyytikainen P, et al. Association of sleep duration with weight and weight gain: A prospective follow-up study. Journal of Sleep Research. 2011;20:298.

Chaput JP, et al. Short sleep duration is independently associated with overweight and obesity in Quebec children. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 2011;102:369.Garaulet M, et al. Short sleep duration is associated with increased obesity markers in European adolescents: Effect of physical activity and dietary habits. International Journal of Obesity. 2011;35:1308.Taveras EM, et al. Chronic sleep curtailment and adiposity. Pediatrics. 2014;133:1013.Hart CN, et al. Changes in children's sleep duration on food intake, weight, and leptin. Pediatrics. 2013;132:e1473.

See more Expert Answers

Products and Services

Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health LetterBook: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 4th EditionBook: Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine, 2nd Edition

Patient Care & Health InfoHealthy LifestyleSymptoms A-ZDiseases & Conditions A-ZTests & Procedures A-ZDrugs & Supplements A-ZAppointmentsPatient & Visitor GuidePatient Online ServicesQuality CareFind out why Mayo Clinic is the right place for your health care. Make an appointment.Departments & CentersDoctors & Medical StaffMedical Departments & CentersResearch Centers & ProgramsAbout Mayo ClinicContact UsMeet the StaffFind a directory of doctors and departments at all Mayo Clinic campuses. Visit now.ResearchExplore Research LabsFind Clinical TrialsResearch FacultyPostdoctoral FellowshipsDiscovery's Edge MagazineSearch PublicationsTraining Grant PositionsResearch and Clinical TrialsSee how Mayo Clinic research and clinical trials advance the science of medicine and improve patient care. Explore now.EducationMayo Graduate SchoolMayo Medical SchoolMayo School of Continuous Professional DevelopmentMayo School of Graduate Medical EducationMayo School of Health SciencesAlumni CenterVisit Our SchoolsEducators at Mayo Clinic train tomorrow’s leaders to deliver compassionate, high-value, safe patient care. Choose a degree.For Medical ProfessionalsProvider RelationsOnline Services for Referring PhysiciansVideo CenterPublicationsContinuing Medical EducationMayo Medical LaboratoriesProfessional ServicesExplore Mayo Clinic’s many resources and see jobs available for medical professionals. Get updates.Products & ServicesHealthy Living ProgramMayo Clinic MembershipBooks and more ...Mayo Clinic Health LetterMedical ProductsPopulation Health and Wellness ProgramsHealth Plan AdministrationMedical Laboratory ServicesContinuing Education for Medical ProfessionalsGiving to Mayo ClinicGive NowYour ImpactFrequently Asked QuestionsContact UsGive to Mayo ClinicHelp set a new world standard in care for people everywhere. Give now.Request an AppointmentFind a DoctorFind a JobGive NowLog in to Patient AccountEspanolPortugueseArabicMandarinTwitterFacebookGoogleYouTubePinterestSkip to main navigationSkip to main contentAdult healthPrintBasicsStaying healthyDental careSkin careNail careEye careSleepMental healthHealthy relationshipsHealthy at workIn-DepthExpert AnswersExpert BlogMultimediaResourcesNews From Mayo ClinicWhat's New

Stats: 11.5kB, 0.09s