The recommend daily dose for sleep is a solid 7-9 hours daily. Sleep is the most VITAL component to our overall health and wellness! When we sleep we are more energetic, more motivated, and are more apt to have a positive attitude.
Here are some reasons lack of sleep could be inhibiting your health:
# 1 You snack more, especially in the evening –
Typically in the evening we are tired, but fight the urge to rest your head on your pillow. When yiou fight the urge your body reacts by craving foods (usually ones that are not beneficial for our bodies). Our bodies (in a perfect world), would go to sleep when the sun goes down, and wake up when the sun rises. Since that is not typically for a modern day society, we then eat to and snack on unhealthy foods to keep our bodies awake and fight what we need most which is sleep!
# 2 You crave the bad stuff –
When we are tired our body craves unhealthy, high-carbohydrate, and high-fat fat foods to make it have a feeling of “phony energy”. This is a good way to allow the pesky “Sugar Dragon” to creep in and take over. These foods also give us a quick high and then take us to a low of lows making us feel like we need more sugar. When you are having that late night craving JUST GO TO BED and dream of sugar plums don’t eat them!
# 3 If your up more you eat more –
In research presented at the American Heart Association’s 2011 Scientific Sessions, it was shown that women who got only 4 hours of sleep at night ate 329 additional calories the next day than they did after they slept nine hours.When your body is rested you don’t need energy from other sources. It will also burn more calories as you will typically be more active and energetic.
# 4 You have less energy so you burn less –
Even though you are up more you are usually sluggish, less motivated, and just don’t have that pep to your step. This could also lead to depression or just feeling down which will also cause low energy levels. When you are working 1/2 speed so is everything else in your body.
With these helpful tips, think twice before snacking; Maybe its just sleep that you need!
Fit Chic