Have you ever noticed that a short stint of sleep (less than a full seven to eight hours) caused you to crave unhealthy, calorie-dense foods the next day? Maybe you had to stop off for a sugary latte or high-carbohydrate breakfast food to help you make it through the morning. Or maybe you’re hitting that midday slump and need a high-calorie snack or sweet treat to make it through the afternoon. An article published in the International Journal of Obesity1 looked at two groups of people who over the course of five nights slept for four hours versus nine hours. Those in the group who slept only four hours showed increased activity in the pleasure centers of their brain when shown unhealthy foods like pepperoni pizza, doughnuts, and candy. This means that sacrificing your sleep could lead to poor food choices the next day. What’s worse? If you continue skimping on you zzz’s you could continue the vicious cycle leading to weight gain. Another study showed that the fewer the hours of sleep, the greater number of cravings for high-calorie, unhealthy foods. The more sleep-deprived you are, the more weight you may gain. If you’re finding that you are sleeping enough but still having a dip in energy midday and need an unhealthy pick-me-up, blood sugar might be the culprit. If your blood sugar dips due to high-carb, high-sugar earlier in the day, you may find yourself craving sweets later in the day. Stress can also affect your blood sugar, and can be another reason you need a treat to make it through the rest of the day. After working with executives, celebrities, and high-powered clients, she recognized a glaring gap in the wellness space: overconsumption of alcohol. Her approach results in improved brain health, mood, energy, focus, gut health, and hormone balance. Learn more about her Alcohol-Free Nutrition Academy at brookescheller.com.
