Research

Hormonal

Insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment act as novel, modifiable risk factors for obesity by altering hunger hormones (ghrelin, 2-AG), increasing hedonic food appeal, and reducing energy expenditure.

Prioritize 7-9 hours of sleep as a primary weight management strategy, not just a luxury. If you are struggling with weight loss, evaluate your sleep duration and consistency first, as sleep loss biologically increases hunger hormones and cravings for high-calorie foods.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment are thus new modifiable risk factors for obesity.
Josiane L. Broussard et al. · Current Opinion in Endocrinology Diabetes and Obesity · 2016

Why this rating

The paper cites multiple meta-analyses, prospective cohort studies, and controlled experimental trials, though it is a review paper summarizing others' work.

Source

Disturbances of sleep and circadian rhythms: novel risk factors for obesity

Josiane L. Broussard et al. · Current Opinion in Endocrinology Diabetes and Obesity · 2016

DOI 10.1097/med.0000000000000276

narrative_reviewCited 179×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →