Some studies suggest that sleep plays a role in weight loss, and specifically fat loss, during calorie restriction. In a study of people undergoing 14 days of calorie restriction, the participants lost less fat when they spent 5.5 h a day in bed than when they spent 8.5 h a day in bed [40].
Numerous studies have suggested that restricted sleep and poor sleep quality may lead to metabolic disorders, weight gain, and an increased risk of obesity and other chronic health conditions.
A good night's sleep is one of the keys to good health-and may also be a key to maintaining a healthy weight. There is mounting evidence that people who get too little sleep have a higher risk of weight gain and obesity than people who get seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
To put this in perspective, one pound of fat is the equivalent of 3,500 calories. So fewer than 10 days of sleep-deprivation could lead to you gaining one pound of weight if you eat in a way that a sleep-deprived person would. That's a potential gain of just under three stone per year!
There is growing interest and evidence that sleep loss and sleep disorders have a significant impact on metabolism. Laboratory studies have clearly shown that sleep deprivation can alter the glucose metabolism and hormones involved in regulating metabolism, that is, decreased leptin levels and increased ghrelin levels.
Causes of unintentional weight loss
Unintentional weight loss has many different causes. It might be caused by a stressful event like a divorce, losing a job, or the death of a loved one. It can also be caused by malnutrition, a health condition or a combination of things.
Burning more energy and calories can lead to unintentional or unexplained weight loss. Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include: fatigue.
How much weight loss is a concern. Your body weight can regularly fluctuate. But the persistent, unintentional loss of more than 5 per cent of your weight over 6 to 12 months is usually a cause for concern. Losing this much weight can be a sign of malnutrition.
What's more, the stress hormones that our bodies release can speed up our metabolism, causing us to burn calories faster. In more extreme cases, prolonged stress may lead to depression, which can also cause weight loss.
To aid weight loss, it is recommended to sleep for 7-8 hours, experts say. “Continuous sleep of 7-8 hours is beneficial as it makes you feel energetic, thereby, acting as a motivational tool for indulging in a physical activity which is directly related to weight loss.
If a person has a high metabolism, they may not gain much weight even when eating high-energy foods. Frequent physical activity. Athletes or people who engage in high levels of physical activity, such as runners, may burn significant amounts of calories that result in low body weight.
Symptoms of anxiety can lead to changes in your metabolism, decreased food intake, increased body movement, changes in bowel functioning, and increased muscle tension, all potentially leading to weight loss.
The route to weight control may begin in the bedroom, research suggests. Overweight adults who got just over an hour of extra sleep nightly ate less, researchers found in a study of 80 adults, ages 21 to 40. Sleeping more was linked to a daily calorie decrease of 270 calories, on average.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, people who sleep for less than five hours a night are almost a third likelier to gain weight (30 pounds over the course of 16 years) than those who get seven hours of sleep each night.
— New research from Mayo Clinic shows that lack of sufficient sleep combined with free access to food increases calorie consumption and consequently fat accumulation, especially unhealthy fat inside the belly.
The most common causes are stress, depression or anxiety, an eating disorder, or thyroid issues. If you have experienced unexpected weight loss, especially if you have not also experienced a stressful event, talk to your doctor.
In more than 90 percent of cases, the problem is that the child isn't taking in enough calories. Other causes include children who lose calories through persistent vomiting, diarrhea or malabsorption or who have a chronic condition such as a heart or lung disease that causes them to require more to grow.
It is normal to lose weight overnight, meaning that your weight in the morning will often be lower than your weight in the evening. The amount of weight you lose overnight will depend on how much you sweat at night and how dehydrated you are in the morning.
The point at which unexplained weight loss becomes a medical concern is not exact. But many health care providers agree that a medical evaluation is called for if you lose more than 5% of your weight in 6 to 12 months, especially if you're an older adult.
If you're losing weight without trying and you're concerned about it, consult your health care provider. As a rule of thumb, losing more than 5% of your weight over 6 to 12 months may indicate a problem.