Ozempic vs Sleep - A Quick Overview
Who is this for?
If you’re currently taking Ozempic, or a similar appetite suppressant, it’s worth understanding how weight loss can impact your sleep - and in turn, your physical and mental wellbeing.
If you’re considering starting, this will help you understand the potential trade-offs, and put strategies in place to maximise the benefits and reduce the downsides before you get started.
Either way, this is non-clinical guidance from a sleep perspective. It’s important to do your own research and speak to medical professionals to make sure you’re approaching this safely.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic was originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes. It mimics a hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which tells your brain you’re full and helps regulate blood sugar.
This reduces appetite and improves glucose control, which is why it was first used for diabetes.
There are other GLP-1 drugs, and everything below applies to them too. Ozempic is just the most recognisable name.
And it’s fair to say these drugs have taken off. Around 4.5% of UK adults have used a GLP-1 so far, and it’s closer to 12% in the US. It’s also no longer just about diabetes. For most people now, the goal is weight loss.
And it works - largely because it removes the hardest part of dieting: hunger.
In the UK, there have recently been headlines about doctors receiving “commission” for prescribing GLP-1s.
In reality, this has been slightly twisted. It’s not a payment per prescription, but funding for GP practices to improve access to treatments like these as part of wider obesity care.
The aim is to expand what can be offered to patients, not to reward individual prescriptions.
However, it does raise an interesting question.
If something is truly that beneficial, should there need to be a financial incentive to encourage its use?
With “no side effects”, that would be an easy yes. But secondary effects are often overlooked.
Rapid weight loss can still have significant knock on effects.
The Downsides (From a Sleep Perspective)
Large calorie deficits
The bigger the calorie deficit, the higher the likelihood of a stress response.
This can increase heart rate, speed up brain activity, and elevate cortisol - all of which work against good sleep.
Your heart rate needs to decrease for you to fall asleep, and then drop further for deeper, more restorative sleep.
Your brain also needs to shift into slower, more relaxed states as you fall asleep and move through the night. Elevated stress makes both of these harder.
And cortisol makes you feel alert and focussed, which is going to make it harder to stay asleep - because your brain will be more likely to react to your surroundings.
Nutrient insufficiency or deficiency
Eating less makes it harder to get enough nutrients in, so over time this can lead to insufficiencies or deficiencies.
Key nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D are closely linked to sleep.
But it’s not just about sleep.
Even if you’re getting enough of those, deficiencies in other nutrients can still affect your energy, mood, and overall performance during the day.
Other reported effects
There are other reported side effects linked to GLP-1 use. The evidence is yet to be clear enough to write certainly about it, but they’re worth looking into if you’re using or considering them. Please get in touch if you’d like more details on what is out there.
The Upsides (From a Sleep Perspective)
Reduced sleep apnoea
Sleep apnoea affects close to 1 billion people worldwide, and many don’t realise. It’s when there are repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, which puts the body under stress - disrupting sleep quality.
Excess weight is a major contributor, as it can increase airway obstruction.
In these cases, weight loss can reduce or even remove symptoms, improving sleep for both the individual and their partner. One study found that people who share a bed with a snorer can lose up to an hour of sleep per night. So everybody is happy.
Better temperature regulation
Body temperature plays a big role in sleep. We tend to sleep best in cooler environments, around 15.6-19.4°C.
This is because your body needs to drop its core temperature to enter deeper sleep.
Higher body fat can make heat regulation more difficult. Losing weight can make it easier for the body to cool down and stay comfortable through the night.
Lower heart rate and reduced load
Weight loss can reduce strain on the body, often lowering resting heart rate.
Also, eating less can also reduce digestive load at night. The more your body is digesting, the higher your heart rate tends to be.
A lower heart rate supports both falling asleep and reaching deeper sleep.
However, meal timing could still take place near to bedtime, but a lower intake can reduce the impact.
Food for Thought
Some key sleep-related pro’s and con’s have been put on the table. But what actions can be made to make sure the result is as positive as possible?
Focus on nutrient dense foods
Prioritise foods rich in magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D.
But don’t stop there. Aim to cover as many nutrients as possible to support overall energy and performance.
Otherwise, cut back on ultra processed foods as much as you can. They will that take up space in your stomach without offering much nutritional value.
Avoid extreme deficits (where possible)
Try to keep your calorie deficit moderate where possible. Around a 500 calorie deficit is often used as a general guideline.
The further you go beyond that, the more likely you are to trigger a stress response.
That said, it’s not always straightforward. Some people experience nausea if they eat more than they feel like. So in those cases, focus on reducing other stressors to keep your overall load manageable.
Final Note
Taking something like this is a big decision. It can have a significant impact on your life, both short and long term.
There are clear benefits, but also risks. Take the time to research properly, speak to the right people, and make sure you approach it in a way that helps you achieve the best possible outcome.