Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Sleeping a Little Longer Can Help You Cut Back on Calories

Scientists find that sleeping a little longer is associated with eating a bit less. This could be an important tactic for weight control.

People who burn the candle at both ends appear more vulnerable to high blood pressure and heart disease. They may also be more likely to develop diabetes, impaired immunity and obesity. Can strategies to increase time asleep make a difference for weight control? Scientists suggest that sleeping a little longer each night could help people eat less and possibly even lose weight.

Studying the Effects of Sleeping a Little Longer:

Researchers conducted a randomized trial to see whether improving sleep duration could impact caloric intake (JAMA Internal Medicine, Feb. 7, 2022). The 80 volunteers for this study were overweight and normally slept less than 6.5 hours a night. At the beginning of the trial, the investigators monitored their usual time asleep for two weeks. Then, they used a randomization strategy to assign the participants to two different groups.

One half got individualized sleep hygiene counseling aimed at extending their sleep duration. The other volunteers, serving as a control group, were instructed to carry on as usual.

After two weeks, the intervention group had increased the time they spent asleep by 1.2 hours. They also consumed significantly fewer calories. On average, they took in 270 fewer calories a day than the individuals in the control group. However, they did not reduce their energy expenditure. Consequently, volunteers in the intervention group lost a bit of weight compared to the control group.

The investigators concluded that:

“Improving and maintaining healthy sleep duration over longer periods could be part of obesity prevention and weight loss programs.”

What Did Previous Research Show?

This is not the first study to show a link between how well people sleep and how much they eat. Almost a decade ago, investigators at the University of Colorado found that the metabolic effects of losing just a few hours of sleep a night can have an immediate impact on weight (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, online, March 11, 2013).

Sixteen healthy volunteers participated in a very careful two-week experiment. For the first week, half the study subjects slept nine hours, while the others restricted their shut-eye to five hours or less. The second week, the groups switched.

To the researchers’ surprise, those sleeping less burned more calories, but over the course of the week they ended up about two pounds heavier. Part of the problem was that people ate more–especially more carbs–when they stayed up late. However, there were also metabolic changes. Sleeping too little, the scientists concluded, is terrible for weight control.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
4.5- 26 ratings
About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Citations
  • Tasali E et al, "Effect of Sleep Extension on Objectively Assessed Energy Intake Among Adults With Overweight in Real-life Settings: A Randomized Clinical Trial." JAMA Internal Medicine, Feb. 7, 2022. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.8098
  • Markwald RR et al, "Impact of insufficient sleep on total daily energy expenditure, food intake, and weight gain." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, online, March 11, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1216951110
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.