Sleep and weight?

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I am nearly 25, stand at 5ft7 and weigh 142 pounds currently. I have been unemployed for a few years so I have been getting regurley over 5 hours sleep a night.

I am starting a new job next week so I will probably be getting 5 hours or less because I will have less time to snooze. I have read up that lack of sleep cause your weight to go up? It's worrying me


From what memory serves me back in college 4 years ago I weighed between 160-174 pounds. Not sure though if it was fat or all the muscle I built at the gym? I stopped going to the gym over 4 years ago but I will be going back to the gym soon.


How can I avoid gaining weight?


At the place I work there is a gym

Nominally you ought to be burning more calories if you are awake more - your body should generally be more active and consuming more energy. At least if you are reasonable active while awake. If you spend all day laying down on the couch watching TV and not doing anything physical at all may not be that much of a difference. In any case less sleep should be good for your weight, not the other way around.

Without proper rest, your metabolism will go wonky. People who get enough sleep (not always 8 hours though) lose more weight and keep it off compared to people who don't get enough sleep.

Budget time to get the sleep you need.

Ive never been able to sleep very well nor have I ever had 8 hours sleep in my life. I usually get odd hours of broken sleep and just feel tired all day but its never affected my weight.I was 10 stone with a 28 inch waste when I was 16 and I'm the same now and I'm 47. Ive been up to 11 stone when I was younger and working really hard doing a heavy job hod carrying but I doubt any of that was fat so for me sleep doesn't seem to play any part in my weight gain or loss. Worrying is more likely to make you put on or lose weight just as it can cause you to get illnesses. I think stress and worry are the main cause of minor and some major illnesses. Just go there with a positive attitude, do you job to the best of your ability and try not to worry. Good luck with the new job.