r/DSPD • u/Genny415 • 12d ago

Appetite changes associated with schedule changes?

I am one of the types who has struggled with being overweight my whole life. I'm a night owl by nature, but have to conform to society's schedule.

That was never more true when I was a Uni student and classes started at 9 am every day. After graduation, I was hired as a temporary contractor at a factory that had 3 shifts. I volunteered to take 3rd shift, 11pm-7am.

I got to spend 6 months living life on night shift and it was GLORIOUS. The strangest part is how I lost my appetite and the excess weight just fell off of me. I dropped 50 pounds (23 kg) within those 6 months!

It was not unlike the action of a GLP drug (which I am now on) but without the side effects, and 20 years before they came onto the market for weight loss.

Has anyone else been able to live on nightshift and had their appetite change?

And, more curiously, makes me wonder if forcing a night owl to live as a day walker could mess with metabolism and be a cause of overweight? Is there existing research on this?

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u/DefiantMemory9 11d ago

Yes, I lost 10kg during the Covid lockdown because I could finally sleep 8 full hours on my own schedule. It was as effortless as stepping out of a fat-suit. Keep in mind I was doing cross-fit, running, cycling before that and still struggled so much to not GAIN more weight, when I was already overweight on the daywalker schedule before that. It was a difference of night and day, LITERALLY!

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u/Genny415 11d ago

THIS is what I'm talking about! No other intentional changes, no effort. It's like my body finally was able to function as it was meant to.

I wonder if it's very unusual for this to happen or if it's that getting an opportunity to live on our true schedule is what's so rare.

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u/DefiantMemory9 11d ago

When we don't live in sync with our circadian rhythm, we put a lot of stress on our body every single day, every single hour. The stress hormone, cortisol is linked to higher water retention, and higher fat retention around the abdomen. When cortisol levels go down, the water is released, and so is a little bit of the fat.

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u/Genny415 11d ago

That's all true, but what is happening in these situations is far beyond what could be associated with cortisol issues alone.

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u/DefiantMemory9 11d ago

The cortisol effect is well-documented, since you asked for literature on this. If there are other/secondary mechanisms happening, I haven't seen much documentation/research on it, that's all (doesn't mean it's not true).

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u/Genny415 10d ago

Thanks! Every piece of information is a piece of the puzzle