Sleep and appetite

Health & Wellness Endocrine
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i’ve been thinking a lot about the relationship between sleep and appetite lately, and how it’s changed for me since starting tirzepatide. I used to think that my appetite was just about the food, but now I realize it’s so much more complicated than that. When I’m tired, I crave different things - more carbs, more sugar, more comfort foods. And it’s not just about willpower, it’s about the actual physiological response to lack of sleep.

I’ve been tracking my sleep and appetite for a while now, and I’ve noticed that on the days when I don’t get enough sleep, my appetite is way more unpredictable. I’ll be hungry at weird times, or I’ll crave things that I don’t normally eat. And it’s not just about the quantity of sleep, it’s about the quality too. When I’m stressed or anxious, my sleep is lighter and less restorative, and that affects my appetite too.

I’ve been trying to prioritize sleep more, and it’s been helping. I’ve also been paying attention to my hunger and fullness cues, and trying to eat more mindfully. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. I feel more in control of my appetite, and I’m not as tempted by unhealthy foods.

I’m curious - has anyone else noticed a link between sleep and appetite? How do you prioritize sleep, and what strategies work for you? I’d love to hear about your experiences. I’ve also been reading about the science behind sleep and appetite, and it’s really interesting.

Apparently, lack of sleep can affect the levels of certain hormones that regulate appetite, like ghrelin and leptin. And it’s not just about the hormones - sleep deprivation can also affect the way our brains respond to food, making us more likely to crave high-calorie foods. It’s like our brains are trying to compensate for the lack of energy by reaching for quick fixes. I’m not a scientist, but it makes sense to me.

When I’m tired, I just want something easy and comforting, not something healthy and complicated. But the more I learn about sleep and appetite, the more I realize that it’s not just about the food - it’s about taking care of my whole body, and prioritizing my health. I’d love to hear from others who are on this journey with me.

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Lack of sleep affects hormone levels like ghrelin and leptin, which regulate appetite.

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my daughter margot is 19 mos and still doesn’t sleep through the night, so i know exactly what you mean about the ‘quick fixes’ when you’re exhausted. that shift in cravings is so real.

but i do push back on the idea that sleep is the ‘real blocker’ for these meds. chronic fragmented

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margot’s almost 20 mos and still doesn’t sleep through the night, so i know exactly what you mean about “quick fixes” when you’re exhausted. i’m not gonna pretend prioritizing sleep isn’t critical for everything, but the food noise clearing on sema for me was still a real signal under

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what specifically changed about your carb/sugar cravings after starting tirz?

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fresh from my own tracking, I’ve noticed that sleep quality impacts my appetite in ways that feel almost identical to what you’ve described, slow_measure, particularly the part about craving different things when tired, like more carbs or comfort foods. The phrase “it’s not just about willpower, it’s about the actual physiological response to lack of sleep” really resonates with me, as I’ve seen my own hunger patterns shift significantly on days when I don’t get enough restorative sleep. However, I do want to push back gently on the idea that prioritizing sleep alone can fully address appetite unpredictability, because in my experience, there are other factors at play, such as stress levels and the timing of my tirzepatide doses, which can also influence my hunger cues and food cravings.

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four months on sema and i’ve noticed my appetite is way more sensitive to sleep quality than i thought. when you said “lack of sleep can affect the levels of certain hormones that regulate appetite, like ghrelin and leptin” that really resonated with me, bc i’ve been tracking my sleep and appetite and there’s definitely a correlation. on days when i get less than 4 hours of sleep, my cravings for carbs and sugar go through the roof, and it’s not just about willpower, it’s about my body actually responding differently to food lol

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what’s your cortisol looking like after bad sleep?

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that ‘easy and comforting, not something healthy and complicated’ part is a real vibe when you’re wiped. i’ve definitely noticed my sugar cravings go through the roof on days after short sleep, like i’m reaching for a specific fast hit. logging those craving spikes next to my sleep data, even just a quick note from my watch, makes

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that unpredictable appetite is exactly what makes tracking anything so hard, trying to figure out if it’s a sleep issue or something else is tough when you just feel off.

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that shift in appetite post-tirz is wild, and your observation about sleep making cravings ‘unpredictable’ resonates for sure. it’s easy to feel like everything’s just a blur when your sleep is off, but fwiw, not all signals get flattened by that baseline noise. where i’d gently push back is on lumping