Sleep.....What's that got to do with nutrition?

Well quite a lot actually! And it works both ways.

There is a strong link between poor sleep & weight gain. The likelihood of obesity in both children & adults also associates with inadequate sleep.

The hunger hormones, GREHLIN & LEPTIN which are responsible for signalling hunger in your brain can have their balance interrupted by inadequate sleep leading to more Grehlin and less Leptin being released. As a result, this leaves you feeling hunger & your appetite is increased.....Not Good!!

Research has also shown that when you are sleep deprived, you are more likely to reach for foods which are high in calories, simple carbohydrates & bad fats due to the fact that the frontal lobe of your brain, which is the part responsible for decision making & self control, becomes weary from poor sleep, making it more difficult for you to make healthy food choices & resist the less nutritionally beneficial foods.

Getting a reduced amount of sleep can also cause insulin resistance to occur. As a result,

more sugar remains in the bloodstream and the body produces more insulin to compensate. The excess insulin makes you hungrier and your body is told to store more calories as fat. Subsequently, insulin resistance is a precursor to type 2 diabetes & weight gain.

On the flip side......

Good nutrition & food habits can help you to achieve good sleep

A diet which is low in fibre & high in saturated fats can impact the amount of "deep" sleep you get. Large meals & ones which could cause indigestion should be avoided prior to bedtime (spicy, rich, heavy foods). It is also worth remembering that most chocolate contains naturally occurring caffeine so reaching for that bar of chocolate in the lead up to bedtime might not be the best idea!

Avoid stimulants & excessive alcohol- Alcohol & nicotine can cause you to become very alert which isn't ideal for trying to achieve good sleep. Reducing your caffeine intake in the afternoon & eliminating it entirely within at least 6 hours before sleep is an important recommendation as it can take anywhere between 1.5-9.5 hours for half of the caffeine compound to leave your system (Dependant on various factors)