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Am I Hungry or Tired?

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Am I Hungry or Tired?

September 18th, 2020

There is no doubt about it, lack of sleep or an irregular sleep pattern may cause you to feel hungrier than when you’re well rested. Insufficient sleep promotes hunger and appetite which can cause excessive food intake.

The two key players in the increase of appetite are hormones called ghrelin and leptin. Each help regulate hunger and are directly affected by sleep. Ghrelin stimulates the appetite while leptin decreases it. When the body is sleep-deprived, the level of ghrelin spikes, while the level of leptin falls, leading to an increase in hunger.

In fact, research shows that people who don’t get enough sleep eat twice as much and an extra 300 calories the next day, compared with those who get a full night’s sleep.

Not only does a lack of sleep interfere with the natural hunger signals, but there’s also the problem that less time in bed simply gives you more hours of the day to eat. Preventing overeating—as well as obesity—starts with creating a healthy bedtime routine. To manage your weight and how much food you consume, aim to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day of the week, and give yourself enough time in bed to get seven to nine hours of sleep.

If you are over tired, maybe those hunger pains aren’t from real hunger but just exhaustion. Picking up and recognising these signals can help reduce food intake, so you can ensure you get a proper night of sleep and wake up feeling more refreshed than ever.

Discover the power of sleep.

Sleep Healthy!