Too Little Sleep, Too Many Food Cravings? It Could Be Your Hormones

After a night of very little sleep, even though you feel tired, disoriented, and groggy, do you ever have cravings for food that is sugary, salty, or calorie-dense? Sleep deprivation can sabotage your diet by disrupting the delicate balance necessary for your hunger hormones to function properly. Ghrelin is supposed to tell you when to eat, and leptin is supposed to tell you when to stop eating. But too much ghrelin and too little leptin due to lack of sleep can make you feel ravenously hungry―even if you’ve just eaten. Throw in increased cortisol and other hormone imbalances associated with a lack of sleep, and the problem of out-of-control hunger and overeating gets even worse, potentially leading not only to weight gain but also to health risks such as diabetes and heart disease. The bottom line? Seven to eight full hours’ sleep every night can help balance hormones and give you the best chance of maintaining both your weight and your overall health. Read more…