When you donโt get enough sleep you are hungry and itโs not your imagination. You are not making an excuse to eat more food, you actually feel hungry!
Itโs because lack of sleep causes an increase the hunger hormone, ghrelin.
Here are a few more things that happens with lack of sleep:
- Youโll crave starchy quick acting carbs โ for fast energy
- Store those low quality carbs as belly fat
- Suppress growth hormone which can increase belly fat
- May increase your risk of type II diabetes* (important side note โ Type II Diabetes is associated with Alzheimerโs Disease and this has been called Type III diabetes)
- โthe risk of developing T2D [type II diabetes] associated with insufficient sleep was comparable to that of traditional risk factors, such as excess weight, family history of diabetes and physical inactivity
A few tips that can help you get a better nightโs sleep are:
- Keep your bed time and wake time about the same time, even on weekends. Your circadian rhythm will get messed up if you are constantly shifting your wake and sleep cycle.
- Bedroom should be very dark (black out curtains) and cool, but not cold, about 65 degrees**
- Go for a short walk after dinner
- Avoid alcohol in the evening and caffeine after noon.
*https://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(18)30029-5/fulltext
**https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep