22 Aug How Losing Sleep Can Make You Hungrier
Sleep apnea has many direct effects on your health, and these conditions are reason enough to seek sleep apnea treatment that will help you sleep better. Still, it’s helpful to understand some of the indirect effects that sleep apnea may have on your health as it robs you of quality, restful sleep. If you are losing sleep at night because of sleep apnea, you might find that weight gain is an unexpected side effect. In fact, gaining weight as a result of sleep loss is common, because the body begins to rely on food to make up for a lack of energy.
Compensating for Lost Energy
If you aren’t sleeping well, you might feel hungry more often, because you need energy to get through your day. It can also be easier to reach for unhealthy grab-and-go options like fast food and processed meals, since you may not feel up for cooking when you always feel tired.
Craving Less Healthy Options
Along with more general feelings of hunger, you might feel more intense food cravings for comfort foods that are higher in fat and sugar. These foods will not only be more calorie dense and more likely to cause weight gain, but they won’t provide much nutritional content, causing you to just feel hungrier. As you continue to lose sleep, your dietary habits may suffer further and continue to affect the scale. Reaching for alcohol to try and help you sleep or caffeine to keep you awake can also have negative effects, since these substances both diminish the quality of sleep.