Eating for Better Sleep & Foods that Improve Metabolic Health | Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge

Sleep deprivation promotes weight gain by disrupting hunger hormones and lowering physical activity, while dietary composition and meal timing directly dictate the quality of sleep achieved.

• Appetite regulation — Short sleep triggers hormonal changes that drive overeating, with men experiencing higher ghrelin levels and women seeing a drop in satiety signals [07:18].

• Energy balance — Insufficient rest leads to weight gain because individuals often reduce spontaneous movement during the day, creating an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure [23:01].

• Diet and deep sleep — Higher fiber intake correlates with increased deep sleep, while eating saturated fat reduces it; sugar consumption often leads to more frequent nighttime arousals [38:03].

• Meal timing — Finishing the last meal of the day at least three hours before bedtime helps regulate body temperature; shifting calorie intake to earlier in the day is optimal [38:55].

• Functional foods — Ginger consumption may increase the thermic effect of food, while medium-chain triglycerides might support fat oxidation when replacing other dietary fats [1:06:04].

• Insulin resistance — Chronic sleep restriction over several weeks can lead to increased blood pressure and reduced insulin sensitivity, even in controlled settings [21:26].

• What are the differences between how men and women experience hunger after sleep loss?

• How does fiber intake influence the duration of deep sleep?