This is an informal survey of sleep habits:

This is an informal survey of sleep habits:

A physical fitness trainer told me once that it isn't easy to lose weight if you aren't getting enough sleep.  So, how much do you try to get 8 hours of sleep and do you see a problem of weight loss if you aren't sleeping enough?

 

I almost never get 6 hours, let alone 8.  I usually function on 3-5 hours a night. It's been a lifelong problem. It's not insomnia, it's...something else. Getting my brain to shut up long enough to want to put down whatever project I'm absorbed in and go to bed. 

Anyway, when I do take the initiative to get my tuchus to bed on time and get a solid 8, I definitely feel the difference, and if I do it for a couple days, I always see a drop on the scale. 

I've had serious sleep issues for most of my life.  Currently, I am lucky to get five hours a night, and that is usually not five hours in a row.  I might go to sleep around midnight, then wake up at 2 am and be up until 4 or 5 am, then sleep another two hours or so.  And yes, I am exhausted.

Since I've always had this problem, I have nothing to compare it to.  I gained weight while having this problem, then had WLS and lost weight and maintained my weight loss, while still having this problem.  Would it have been easier to lose the weight if I hadn't had so much trouble sleeping?  Probably.  But then, everything in life would probably be easier if I got a somewhat decent amount of sleep, I think.

I have heard this before, but I am not sure that I believe it (and no one has offered any scientific studies on it). I had sleep apnea when I was heavy and did not use a CPAP (and always woke up tired) but I still lost weight without difficulty after surgery.

I have been maintaining my weight loss for 3.5 years. I was sleeping fine until about 9 months ago but have been having sleep issues since then and get only abut 5 hours most nights (some nights even less), but it is not affecting my weight.

Lora

When I had my sleep study done a few years ago, I was told by the doctor that not getting enough sleep does impact your weight loss. However, I was also told that while 8 hours of sleep is considered optimum that sleep needs vary by age group and sleep needs are individual. I currently get about 6 to 7 hours of sleep per night and that is NOT continuous! There's usually a bathroom run sometime in the middle of the night. I am not tired during the day and that is one of the indicators of getting enough sleep. So, I'll just go with my body's schedule and continue on my 6 to 7 hours.

 

I'm at a stall period but I'm also near my goal, which isn't unreasonable and really need the additional 10 lbs, at least, to drop off.  At the same time I rarely get to bed before midnight.  I have 5 hrs of deep sleep, a potty run, and back to bed for 3 hours but I get really sleepy in the afternoon.   I would really like a consistent 7 to 8 hours straight to see if the weight loss will kick in again.  I hope we will get some more ideas from you all here.

 

I work the night shift and sleep during the daytime and I get 7 hours sleep with no problem. I get up once to go to the bathroom.

Nov 20 I go for my Pulmonary Evaluation in which he decides whether or not to order a sleep study. I hope I don't need one.

I don't know if I can go to sleep during their time period with them sitting and watching.

 

Carol

They should do the sleep study during the hours you normally sleep - which means if you sleep during the day, that's when they shoudl do the sleep studyy

I've had sleep issues since my RNY, well about 4 weeks out I'd say.  Without any type of medication, I have to wear myself down to a frizzle to even fall asleep, which can take days, sometimes a whole week.  This isnt good for ya so my doc put me on some different types of insomnia medications till we found one that works (for now, my insurance has you go through the steps of cheap meds then move up to the more costly and stop at the one that works) I'm on trazadone right now...nocks me out and I get a lovely 5-6 hours of sleep on a good night but normally i'll get startled by hubbys snoring or the cat etc...that results in only 2-3 hours sleep which is normal for me. I just go till I'm exhausted and record it on paper to take to my doc.

WOW sorry, point being: I've had horrid sleep patterns getting little to no sleep throughout my entire journey. I've still lost 265 lbs via RNY and another 19.4 with my lower body lift.  I've been told to gain weight if I can...so for some odd reason I dont think sleep patterns effected my weight loss. Then again I am usually that 1% that is goofy!

Before surgery I slept 9 hours per night with no interruptions.  After surgery I couldn't sleep much more than 3 hours and sleep was fitful.  My PCP gave me trazodone and I can now sleep 6 hours uninterrupted without grogginess the next morning.  Not sure if there is a link between sleep patterns and weight loss but getting good sleep can't hurt