How Lack of Sleep Can Cause You to Gain Weight.

Did you know the amount and quality of sleep you get has a direct impact on your appetite and what you eat?

Not getting enough sleep or having inconsistent sleeping patterns is associated with an increase in production of the hormone ghrelin and a reduction of the hormone leptin.

Ghrelin, which is the hormone that fuels hunger, increases after having less than 4.5 hours of sleep. Not getting enough sleep also suppresses the hormone leptin, which decreases our appetite and promotes the feeling of being full longer.

So when we don’t get enough sleep we are more likely to crave foods we might not normally eat, and may not know when we are full.

Practice proper sleep hygiene by following the 3-2-1 rule:

• 3 hours before bed – no food

• 2 hours before bed – no work

• 1 hour before bed – no screens - TV, computer or phone

As well as following the 3-2-1 rule, making healthy food choices, creating a routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, making sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and quiet, getting 30 minutes of daily exercise, and incorporating relaxation techniques into your evening routine, will all promote a restful slumber.

Be sure to make sleep a priority for your health and your waistline!