05/25/2026
This is one of the most consistent patterns we see in patients right now.
They wake up after a bad night’s sleep and the scale is up several pounds. They assume it was something they ate. But research suggests the reason may be more specific than that.
In a small but rigorous randomized controlled trial from Mayo Clinic published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, sustained sleep restriction was associated with a 9 percent increase in total abdominal fat and an 11 percent increase in visceral fat. A 2024 randomized trial from Columbia University published in Diabetes Care also found that sleep restriction significantly impaired insulin sensitivity in women navigating the menopausal transition.
When sleep is disrupted cortisol may rise, the body may hold onto fluid, and the conditions for fat storage may begin to shift before you even get out of bed.
This is why the scale may not be a reliable daily signal for women navigating perimenopause. And it is one of the patterns we monitor weekly with every client. When we identify what is triggering it and address it directly, the pattern starts to shift.
We covered it in approximately 90 seconds.
Book a free 15-minute call: https://npaa.regfox.com/weekly-containment-plan-endurance-on-8th-health-centre
Calgary + remote | 20 years clinical experience