The Connection Between Sleep & Hunger
In a recent post, we looked at how food intake at the end of the night affects sleep. But did you know that the amount of sleep you get has a significant impact on your hunger and food preferences? It makes sense that two of the most important things to keep us happy and healthy affect each other so greatly. When one is lacking in quality, the other is sure to follow.
Sleep's Impact on Hunger
Studies have found that when individuals are sleep deprived, there becomes an imbalance in the hormones 2-AG, ghrelin, and leptin. 2-AG is a hormone that belongs to the endocannabinoid family and increases with less sleep. It also triggers the desire to eat and the satisfaction that comes from it. This is the same system that is affected by marijuana and can cause the user to feel the “munchies”.
Then there is the fluctuation of ghrelin and leptin; these two hormones are opposites. Ghrelin increases feelings of hunger while leptin decreases it. When we don’t get enough sleep, there is an increase in ghrelin and a decrease in leptin. With all these appetite-influencing hormones out of balance, it makes sense that people tend to eat more food than they normally would. In fact, it was found that sleep-deprived individuals were way more likely to choose foods with higher calorie content and eat it in larger amounts than rested individuals. One way to prevent this overeating and hormone imbalance caused by sleep deprivation is, you guessed it, getting the required amount of sleep your body needs.
How Can I Improve My Sleep Schedule?
The average person needs 8 hours of sleep a night to be fully rested, but sometimes getting to bed or just getting good quality sleep can be difficult. Here are some tips to help with your sleep schedule:
Build a consistent schedule: Try to start going to bed and waking up at the same time. This allows our bodies' natural clocks (aka circadian rhythm) to maintain a more regular schedule which can help you get the correct amount of sleep you need.
Limit screen time: Put screens away an hour before bed. The blue light that comes from our devices often affects our brain's melatonin production.
Try to limit big meals before bed; heavy meals often disrupt the quality of sleep. Read more about that here.
Snack Ideas
Sometimes, we go through phases where getting enough sleep is a struggle. As we previously read, when we are sleep deprived, we tend to opt for easy, high-calorie foods in high quantities. When looking for snacking foods, it's good to find ones that are high in fiber and protein. They tend to be better at keeping you fuller for longer and are more nutritious.
Oatmeal: High in fiber, and you can make all sorts of snacks with it like overnight oats or protein bites.
Smoothie: Use fruits for fiber and vitamins and add a scoop of protein powder.
Meat and cheese: You can make an adult lunchable while getting protein and healthy fats in.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3763921/
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/lack-sleep-may-increase-calorie-consumption