What Is The Connection Between Poor Sleep and Weight Gain?

By Vanshika Gaur
16 Jul 2025, 16:30 IST

Have you ever wondered why you are gaining weight even after exercising and eating a balanced diet? It can be due to numerous factors, one of them being poor sleep quality. Tap to know how poor sleep quality can lead to weight gain.

Obesity

Poor sleep quality can cause weight gain, as it increases insulin resistance and calorie intake, which causes the body to burn less fat and leads to obesity.

Increased Cortisol Levels

Not getting enough sleep can increase cortisol levels (stress hormone), which increases hunger and promotes fat storage, leading to weight gain.

Hormonal Imbalance

It is known that poor sleep quality causes hormonal imbalance, increasing ghrelin levels (hunger hormone), which makes us eat more and gain weight.

Disrupted Circadian Rhythm

Poor sleep quality disrupts our circadian rhythm (wake-sleep cycle), which makes us stay up late at night and munch on snacks, causing us to gain weight.

Low Energy

When we are low on sleep, our body feels tired or fatigued, leaving us with motivation to do anything. This limits our physical activity and leads to weight gain.

Information Credits

According to PubMed, poor sleep quality can make us gain weight due to obesity, low energy, hormonal imbalance, and more. It is advisable to consult a healthcare professional for personalised suggestions.