Not getting enough sleep makes you crave high-calorie foods and weakens your ability to resist those cravings. This combination of increased hunger and lower self-control naturally leads people to eat more calories than they need.

Temporary calorie surplus during prolonged calorie restriction reduces cortisol levels, improves sleep quality, and decreases hunger signals.

Staying up all night doesn't actually make young, healthy people feel hungrier or eat more food the next day, even though their hunger hormones change. This shows that just missing one night of sleep doesn't immediately cause people to overeat, contrary to what many people assume.

Not getting enough sleep changes your hunger hormones, making you feel more hungry and less full. This happens because your body's natural appetite controls get thrown off balance when you're tired.