Not many of us have ever connected sleep with our belly fat. But if the current researches are anything to go by, there is a huge link between fatigue, insomnia and irregular hours of sleep that contribute to an increase in fat around our stomach and the thoracic cavity. In fact, it is not just sleep that does this, other factors such as fatigue and lethargy; irregular hours of sleep and sleep after an extremely heavy, fatty meal can also cause this to happen.

This phenomenon can occur more commonly in people, who have an increased level of cortisol in the blood along with elevated sugar and insulin release. A combination of all this can lower the basal metabolic rate of the person and also lead to increased storage of fats. It can make people feel more tired, push them into a sedentary life style and add a few inches to their waist.

Cortisol is related to sleep

Cortisol is a stress hormone that is only released when the body is suffering from anxiety and tension. Cortisol can affect the quality of sleep that a person is suffering from. In fact, the quality of hormones released, basal metabolic rate and appetite is affected. In fact, some people may suffer from interrupted sleep patterns, and that is also directly linked to belly fat deposit.

Cortisol is also indirectly responsible for an increase in adrenalin as a result of increased stress. This hormone is known to increase the supply of sugars and fats so that they can deal with the need of an increased energy. As a result, the appetite increases and the person eat more fatty food than required. It also leads to an increase in the blood glucose level, a factor that can again trigger an increase in cortisol. The cycle tends to continue.

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