Sleep and Health: What Really Happens When You Don’t Sleep

The health and wellness world has been obsessed with sleep for some time now. There have been countless books, webinars, and podcasts discussing this topic, but what nobody really talks about is the direct impact poor sleep has on blood sugar regulation — and how that silently destroys your progress toward wellness, fat loss, and energy goals.

Have you ever had one of those mornings when you just didn’t sleep right? Maybe you were tossing and turning all night, or woke up multiple times without ever fully resting. And because you’re running on empty, you feel like you deserve a little treat — maybe a muffin, a croissant, or a donut with that extra-large coffee. You get that quick dopamine hit, and for a moment, you feel ready to take on the day. But then, two hours later, you’re crashing. You’re reaching for a second coffee, maybe a bagel or another comfort snack — and suddenly you’re on this all-day loop of quick fixes just to stay upright.

The wild part? This is a completely natural response.

When you don’t sleep, your body starts craving carbs, caffeine, and anything that will keep you going — and if this becomes your norm, it’s the perfect recipe for insulin resistance, unstable blood sugar, and stalled health progress.

Carbohydrate Craving

Your body is naturally content when you’ve had a good night of sleep. Overnight, your cortisol levels are low, melatonin is higher, and your system moves into a natural rhythm. Your body is able to go into repair mode — clearing out damaged cells, balancing hormones, rebuilding tissues, and resetting your nervous system. Everything feels more grounded. Upon waking up, your cortisol levels increase again, and melatonin tapers off, and you are ready with energy to start your day!

But your body hits panic mode when you don’t sleep — or toss and turn all night. Cortisol, your main stress hormone, spikes early to jolt you awake. That’s because your body thinks something’s wrong. Instead of gradually easing into the day, you’re thrust into fight-or-flight, and the calming, parasympathetic state gets shut off. In this survival state, your body needs quick energy. And quick energy is simple carbohydrates. They’re fast to digest, fast to convert into glucose, and fast to spike your blood sugar, which gives you that temporary rush. This is why you wake up and want that muffin, croissant, or donut. It’s not just habit — it’s hormonal.

Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:

• Ghrelin, the hunger hormone, is increased, making you extra hungry.

• Leptin, the hormone that tells your brain you're full, is decreased, causing you to overeat.

• Your brain craves quick glucose hits to stay alert, which increases your craving for sugar and starches.

• Cortisol continues to rise, which also increases your insulin response.

It’s a hormonal madhouse.

So yes, that early morning carb craving feels like a dopamine-driven choice, but it’s also your body’s natural response to sleep deprivation.

Excessive Caffeine Usage

Now let’s talk about coffee — because let’s be honest, it becomes our best friend when we don’t sleep well. When you don’t sleep well, waking up takes you a while, so you reach for the biggest coffee or tea you can find. And when that wears off a few hours later, you grab a second. Maybe even a third or fourth if the day’s really dragging.

Caffeine gives you that quick jolt of energy by triggering your adrenal glands to release more cortisol and adrenaline — the same stress hormones your body is already pumping out from sleep deprivation. So now your nervous system is in full alert mode, just trying to survive the day. It’s working overtime to keep you alert and awake.

And while caffeine in moderation isn’t a bad thing, when it becomes your daily energy crutch, it starts to backfire:

• Introducing external cortisol and adrenaline excessively disrupts your natural circadian rhythm, making it even harder to fall asleep that night and propelling you into a state of many sleepless nights.

• It keeps cortisol levels elevated, which, when it occurs constantly, can lead to increased blood sugar and belly fat storage over time.

• It adds stress to your adrenal system, leaving you to overuse your adrenals and resulting in depletion in the long run.

Worse, in this situation, caffeine on an empty stomach, especially with something sweet, only accelerates that blood sugar rollercoaster. You get that rush… and then the crash. So, you reach for another coffee or snack to feel normal again. And just like that, you’re trapped in the loop.

Insulin Resistance

Now, if this happens occasionally, it's inconvenient but not a huge deal. However, when it becomes normal or a regular occurrence, we are setting ourselves up for insulin resistance.

Your body struggles to manage glucose properly when you’re consistently or semi-constantly sleep-deprived. Your cells stop responding to insulin (the hormone that moves glucose from our bloodstream into our cells for energy). So your body pumps out more insulin to compensate.

And what does that do?

• It keeps your blood sugar elevated.

• It makes it harder to burn fat (especially around the midsection).

• It promotes inflammation and energy crashes.

• Over time, it can lead to prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, PCOS, and other conditions.

Studies have shown that even just one bad night of sleep can reduce insulin sensitivity by up to 33%¹ . That’s huge. And if this becomes your normal, you’re not just dealing with annoying cravings and energy dips — your metabolism is starting to shift out of balance.

So, what can we do?

We’re all human. There are going to be nights when sleep just doesn’t happen — whether it’s stress, kids, deadlines, or a noisy neighbor. The goal isn’t to be perfect, but to know how to support your body the next day when sleep isn’t on your side.

Here are a few ideas that can make a big difference when our sleep is poor:

• Enjoy your coffee, but pair it with a protein, fiber, and healthy fat meal.

  • Protein, fiber, and healthy fats help stabilize blood sugar and slow down the caffeine spike, so you don’t crash an hour later. Think: eggs with avocado and greens, Greek yogurt with nuts and chia seeds, or a smoothie made with protein, nut butter, and berries.

  • And if you're craving something sweet, that's okay. Just try to have it after you’ve had a balanced breakfast. That way, your blood sugar has a solid foundation, and the impact of the sugar hit is less intense.

• Move your body. 

  • A light walk, low-impact workout, stretching, or enjoying some sunlight can help reset your circadian rhythm and clear out excess cortisol.

• Prioritize whole, nutrient-dense meals.

  • Skip the carb-only snacks and focus on meals with fiber, protein, and fat. These will keep your blood sugar steady and give your brain the fuel it needs.

• Don’t overdo the caffeine. 

  • One or two cups is okay, but try to avoid that third cup or late-afternoon hit, or you’ll make sleep harder the next night.

• Get back into rhythm as soon as you can. 

  • Even if the next night isn’t perfect, continue to strive to create a wind-down routine — dim lights, screens off, maybe add some magnesium or l-theanine supplements, or breathwork.

While you can't control every night, you can make empowered choices the next day to support your energy, cravings, metabolism, and mood.

Remember: it’s not about perfection, it’s about consistency. The more you protect your sleep, the easier it becomes to reach your wellness goals — without fighting your body every step of the way.

Mark your calendar — some upcoming events:

• IN PERSON: Swing by my essential oil booth during the 2nd Annual All Things Cancer + Wellness Expo:

  Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025
  Time: 10 AM – 5 PM EST
  Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City
  237 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

_Resources:

_{Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. (2015, November 4). One night of sleep loss can alter clock genes in your tissues. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151104134039.htm}