Do We Eat More When We Are Tired? Exploring the Sleep-Hunger Connection

December 19, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2018 study, sleep-deprived people consume an average of 385 extra calories per day, confirming that, yes, we eat more when we are tired. This phenomenon is driven by a complex interplay of hormonal imbalances, altered brain activity, and impaired decision-making, which encourages increased food intake and a preference for high-calorie snacks.

Quick Summary

Lack of sleep disrupts appetite-regulating hormones, increases hunger signals, and impairs the brain's ability to make healthy food choices, leading to overeating and a craving for unhealthy foods.

Key Points

Hormonal Imbalance: Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decreases leptin (the satiety hormone), intensifying feelings of hunger and reducing the feeling of fullness.
Brain Function Impairment: Fatigue impairs the prefrontal cortex, which controls decision-making, while increasing activity in the brain's reward centers, making high-fat, high-sugar foods more appealing.
Increased Caloric Intake: Studies show that sleep-deprived individuals consume hundreds of extra calories per day, particularly from high-calorie snack foods.
Unhealthy Food Choices: When tired, people tend to crave refined carbohydrates and comfort foods for a quick energy boost, leading to blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Elevated Stress Hormones: Poor sleep raises cortisol levels, the body's stress hormone, which further stimulates appetite and promotes the storage of fat.
Mindful Eating is Compromised: Tiredness reduces mental clarity and focus, making it difficult to practice mindful eating and recognize true hunger cues.
Long-Term Health Risks: The cycle of poor sleep and overeating can contribute to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular issues over time.

The Vicious Cycle of Sleep Deprivation and Overeating

For many, a sleepless night or chronic fatigue leads to a day of intense food cravings and larger portion sizes. This isn't a lack of willpower, but rather a biological response driven by hormonal shifts and changes in brain function. Understanding this vicious cycle is the first step toward regaining control over your eating habits when you are tired. Sleep affects the delicate balance of hormones that govern our appetite, primarily ghrelin and leptin. When you don't get enough rest, this balance is thrown off, leading to a biological push towards increased calorie intake, often in the form of sugary and fatty foods.

Hormonal Changes That Fuel Fatigue Eating

Ghrelin levels increase: Known as the 'hunger hormone', ghrelin tells your brain when it's time to eat. Sleep deprivation leads to an increase in ghrelin production, making you feel hungrier than usual, even when your body doesn't actually need the extra fuel.
Leptin levels decrease: Leptin is the 'satiety hormone' that signals to your brain that you are full and satisfied. A lack of sleep causes a drop in leptin levels, which dulls the feeling of fullness and makes it easier to overeat without realizing it.
Cortisol rises: Insufficient sleep elevates the stress hormone cortisol, which can also trigger increased appetite, especially for high-calorie comfort foods. Chronic stress, which often accompanies fatigue, keeps cortisol levels high, creating a persistent desire to snack.

Brain Activity and Impaired Decision-Making

When we are sleep-deprived, the areas of our brain responsible for complex decision-making and impulse control are less active. Conversely, the brain's reward centers become more sensitive to food, particularly highly palatable options rich in sugar and fat. This combination means that the tired brain is less equipped to resist temptation and more motivated to seek out the quick, pleasurable hit that unhealthy foods provide. One study found that when sleep-deprived, people not only craved more calories but also ate twice the amount of fat as when they were well-rested.

How Fatigue Impacts Food Choices

Lack of sleep doesn't just make you eat more; it changes what you want to eat. The search for a quick energy fix pushes people toward refined carbohydrates and sugary snacks, which cause a rapid spike and subsequent crash in blood sugar. This can create a constant cycle of snacking to maintain energy levels. Healthier food options, like fruits and vegetables, often seem less appealing because they don't offer the same immediate gratification. The result is a dietary pattern that is less nutritious and more likely to lead to long-term weight gain and health issues.

Comparison of Sleep States and Eating Behavior


Feature	Well-Rested (7-9 Hours)	Sleep-Deprived (<6 Hours)
Appetite Hormones	Balanced ghrelin and leptin, leading to normal hunger signals.	Increased ghrelin and decreased leptin, leading to heightened hunger.
Caloric Intake	Typically consumes fewer, well-balanced calories.	Consumes significantly more calories, potentially up to 385 extra daily.
Food Cravings	Reduced cravings, easier to resist unhealthy options.	Stronger cravings for sugary, salty, and high-fat foods.
Decision-Making	Prefrontal cortex is fully active, supporting impulse control and healthy choices.	Prefrontal cortex activity is impaired, weakening willpower.
Brain Reward System	Normal sensitivity to food rewards.	Enhanced sensitivity to food rewards, driving cravings for palatable food.
Stress Hormones	Low, stable levels of cortisol.	Elevated cortisol levels, which can increase appetite.

Managing Your Eating Habits When You're Tired

Regaining control requires a two-pronged approach: improving sleep and making conscious food choices during periods of fatigue. To address the root cause, prioritize establishing a consistent sleep schedule and creating a calming bedtime routine. While that's a long-term goal, you can also take immediate steps to counter the effects of tiredness on your diet. Planning meals and snacks ahead of time can help you avoid making impulsive, high-calorie choices. Focusing on nutrient-dense foods can provide a more sustained energy release without the blood sugar crash. Hydration also plays a crucial role, as thirst can sometimes be misinterpreted as hunger.

Conclusion: Sleep is a Cornerstone of Healthy Eating

The connection between fatigue and overeating is not just a perception but a well-documented physiological reality. Hormonal shifts and compromised brain function create a perfect storm for increased appetite and poor food choices. The evidence is clear that prioritizing sufficient, high-quality sleep is one of the most effective strategies for managing weight and maintaining a healthy diet. Recognizing that tiredness is a major trigger for overeating empowers you to address the root of the problem, rather than relying on willpower alone to fight cravings. By understanding the biological drivers, you can implement effective strategies to break the cycle and support both your sleep and dietary health.

Frequently Asked Questions

When you're tired, your body produces more ghrelin and less leptin, altering appetite signals and boosting hunger. This, combined with impaired decision-making in the brain and an enhanced reward response to food, makes you crave high-fat and high-sugar snacks for a quick energy fix and comfort.

A lack of sleep primarily affects the appetite-regulating hormones ghrelin and leptin. It increases ghrelin, which promotes hunger, and decreases leptin, which signals fullness. Sleep deprivation also raises the stress hormone cortisol, which can further increase appetite.

Yes, tiredness increases your appetite by disrupting your body's hormonal balance. Specifically, your stomach produces more ghrelin, the hunger-stimulating hormone, and your fat cells produce less leptin, the hormone that makes you feel full.

Poor sleep is linked to weight gain because it increases your appetite, elevates cravings for high-calorie foods, and reduces your energy for physical activity. These factors lead to increased caloric intake and potential weight gain over time.

Research suggests that increasing your sleep can be beneficial for weight management, though it's not a magic bullet. Sleeping more can help rebalance hunger hormones and reduce cravings, which naturally leads to a decrease in caloric intake. It also improves energy levels, making physical activity more manageable.

When you feel tired, opt for nutrient-dense snacks that provide sustained energy rather than a quick sugar rush. Consider options like nuts, seeds, Greek yogurt with berries, or whole-grain crackers with avocado to help stabilize blood sugar levels. Staying hydrated is also crucial.

Yes, fatigue is a form of stress on the body, which can elevate levels of the stress hormone cortisol. High cortisol levels are known to increase appetite and cravings, particularly for comforting, high-fat, and high-sugar foods, leading to a stress-eating cycle.