We’ve all been there …
You have a crappy night of sleep and the whole next day; you want to eat all.the.food.
And despite all the food, you never actually feel full or satisfied.
Did you know that not getting enough sleep is one of the top reasons you could be having cravings?
I’m going to break it down for you … because knowledge is power!
And then - in true Refire fashion - I’m going to give you a clear strategy for dealing with it.
Depending on what study you look at, between 1/3 and 1/2 of adults don’t get enough sleep.
This matters because your sleep affects two hormones that play a big role in your appetite and metabolism.
First, there’s leptin. It tells your body when you’re full, and it also tells your body when to create energy to fuel your activities.
But … when you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t have enough leptin.
This makes your brain think you don’t have enough energy … which leads to a signal to eat … plus another signal to store the calories you eat as backup for the energy shortage. (See what's happening here?!)
So in not science-y words: low leptin levels can make you feel constantly hungry AND slow down your metabolism. Helloooo vicious cycle!
Ghrelin (gremlin, what?...) is almost exactly the opposite of leptin. Its levels actually rise when you don’t get enough sleep. Too much ghrelin can make you feel hungry and slow your metabolism.
All of those words to help you understand how leptin and ghrelin can set you up for a cycle of cravings and weight gain!
It makes getting enough regular, quality sleep – 7-9 hours a night! – super important (I know, easier said than done right?).
Plus … knowing WHY you are having cravings is a big help in putting them in their place.
If you find that you are having cravings because you didn’t get enough sleep, take action to minimize them!
→ Try to eat enough protein - for best craving-crushing results, have a protein-rich food at every meal
→ Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water every day. (150lb person = 75 ounces)
→ Go to bed early if at all possible (so sorry if tiny humans live in your home, this likely won’t be happening)
If you need help with strategies for your healthy lifestyle, I have you covered! Reach out today to get started before the weeks is done!
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