Yes, it is a thing.
Several studies have been done relating to how sleep quantity affects what food choices we tend to make and how our bodies handle them. What they found was that those with shorter sleep duration were more likely to choose sweeter and fattier foods. People who had a higher sugar diet were also more likely to have less deep sleep, which is the phase of sleep where the body restores and heals. Sugar (and foods that convert to sugar in the body) tend to lead to people taking longer to actually fall asleep and not get the restful sleep we all need.
Over consumption of sugar (don’t forget about those hidden sugars too) will likely lead to weight gain, sugar cravings (yep, it makes you want more), and interference with the hormones that regulate appetite.
Oh, and another little nugget for you – poor sleep interferes with insulin release. We release insulin to deal with the sugars we ingest. When insulin is not released appropriately, issues such as diabetes and insulin resistance can result. Chronic inadequate and disrupted sleep can impact how the body regulates glucose through both the day AND night.
But here is the clanger – too much sleep also messes with insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation.
So how much sleep does a healthy adult need? Approximately 7-9 hours per night of good quality sleep. How much deep sleep? Aim for about 2 hours per 8 hours sleep.