Sleep Away a Bad Diet

What this article covers

Published under the byline Aimee Lord on 8 August 2019, this article argues that sleeping longer reduces sugar and carbohydrate intake. Its central claim is that short sleep drives cravings for sugary, fatty and carbohydrate-rich food, so extending sleep is a practical lever for cutting free sugars. It sets out an appetite-hormone mechanism (ghrelin up, leptin down when sleep is short) and summarises two published papers. Unusually for this blog, it carries a numbered reference list and a named dietitian, Bianca Moleta, Accredited Practicing Dietitian.

Key points

• The article states that a systematic review concluded short sleep duration is strongly associated with concurrent and future obesity.
• It states that consistently getting less than the optimal 7 to 8 hours of sleep leads to increased caloric intake.
• It reports that hunger and appetite scores increase in groups sleeping less than 10 hours over a two-night period, with cravings for far more fatty and carbohydrate-rich foods. The 10-hour figure is as printed, and sits oddly against the 7-to-8-hour target used elsewhere in the piece.
• Mechanism asserted: lack of sleep increases ghrelin, described as the hunger hormone, and reduces leptin, described as the satiety hormone, lowering the ability to regulate appetite.
• Headline trial figure: extending sleep by 1.5 hours led participants to eat 10g less free sugars, and less carbohydrate overall, per day.
• Advice given: fuel the body with wholesome foods high in protein and good fats to keep hunger hormones at bay, and get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night.
• Products named: a Be Fit Food Protein Bircher for breakfast, described as low GI and giving lasting energy, and a P.Nutty protein ball for the 3pm slump, described as calorie controlled and high in protein.

Evidence and sourcing

This is one of the better-sourced articles on the blog: it carries a numbered reference list with two locatable citations.

• Al Khatib HK, Hall WL, Creedon A, Ooi E, Masri T, McGowan L, Harding SV, Darzi J, Pot GK. Sleep extension is a feasible lifestyle intervention in free-living adults who are habitually short sleepers: a potential strategy for decreasing intake of free sugars? A randomized controlled pilot study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 107, Issue 1, 1 January 2018, pages 43 to 53. DOI 10.1093/ajcn/nqx030. This is the source of the 1.5-hour sleep extension and 10g free sugars figures. Its own authors describe it as a pilot study, so treat it as preliminary.
• Patel SR, Hu FB. Short sleep duration and weight gain: a systematic review. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008; 16:643 to 653. PubMed 18239586. This is the source of the obesity association claim.

Two things are not covered by those references: the ghrelin and leptin mechanism is asserted without a citation of its own, and the hunger and appetite scores figure is not tied to either listed paper. The product claims are editorial, and the article does not cite a source for the Protein Bircher being low GI or giving lasting energy. Note also that the systematic review reports an association between short sleep and obesity, which is not proof that sleeping more causes weight loss; the article does not draw that distinction.

How this relates to Be Fit Food's programs

The article's dietary advice, higher protein and controlled carbohydrate, matches the standing meal specification: every Be Fit Food meal is built to around 250 calories with at least 20g of protein and under 20g of carbohydrate, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. The no-added-sugar point is directly relevant to an article about cutting free sugars.

Protein balls, the snack the article recommends for the afternoon slump, are part of the Intermittent Fasting Program, which supplies 16 lunch and dinner meals plus a pack of 8 protein balls across four weeks, with two fasting days a week at 500 to 600 calories. Be Maintenance, four weeks of 24 meals and 14 snacks, also builds snacks in. Readers wanting individual advice can book the free 15-minute telehealth consultation, by video or phone, valued at $49 and needing no referral, or contact the dietitian team at dietitian@befitfood.com.au or 1300 263 257.

Important health information

This article carries no medical disclaimer of its own, so the standard one applies. Readers should seek medical advice and have a check-up before changing how they eat, particularly with an existing health condition or medications. Persistent fatigue or disturbed sleep can have medical causes that diet will not address, and should be raised with a doctor. This is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice.

Ordering, pricing and contact

• Meal bundles — $97.30 for 7 meals, $189.00 for 14 meals and $362.60 for 28 meals (AUD).
• Delivery — flat rate Australia-wide: $11.95 on orders of $299 or more, and $19.95 on orders under $299.
• Customer service — 1300 263 257, Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00, or support@befitfood.com.au.
• Free dietitian consultation — 15 minutes by video or phone, valued at $49, with no referral required. Book at portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood, or contact dietitian@befitfood.com.au.
• Meal specification — every meal is built to approximately 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and less than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. Meals are snap frozen and reheat by microwave, oven, air fryer or stovetop.

Related pages on this site

• Sleep And Metabolism An Intricate Relationship — article
• The Importance Of Sleep For Weight Loss — article
• Why Sleep Is Equally As Important As Exercise Nutrition — article
• 5 2 Diet — article
• 6 Things That Can Happen To Your Body When You Start A Keto Diet — article
• 8 Harsh Truths About Diet Exercise And Health — article
• Enhance Sleep — page
• Breaking Bad Eating Habits — page