This week I haven't gotten nearly enough sleep and it really struck me at how my eating choices were affected by it. I'm munching again and it's easy for me to justify a second helping or a cookie. It makes me mentally weak. When I'm rested it's so much easier. I'm just hoping to maintain.
Looking back I haven't been going to bed when I'm supposed to for a long time and I'm wondering at how much of a difference it's played in a lot of things. My goal for next week is to try and get to bed by 11 Sunday-Thursday. It'll be a huge change...I've been up until 2ish a lot lately.
Lack of sleep seems to have a giant effect on me also. I have had a lot of trouble in the past when I have been on rotating night shifts. I get very over tired and then munch on everything in sight especially sweets and other bad for you high carbs. I think this is a very common problem and there seems to be a biological reason behind it. Since we are not giving out body what it really needs which is sleep it is trying to keep itself going by triggering cravings for quick energy foods.
Some people seems to be able to function of very little sleep but I am not one of them. I get so I can't think, am depressed and feel just plain weird. Your plan to try and get to bed early is a good one and it should help you a lot. It may take time to get used to but it will feel so good to feel refreshed for a change.
Lack of sleep definitly affects eating choices. I am a night shift worker. I have a pretty good routine going on my work nights, but on my nights off ~ especially that first night, I am just so tired ~ it feels like it takes too much effort to do even the simplest thing (eating and exercise wise) right. I really struggle with it.
This shift kind of makes the whole thing hard. I know I need to drink the water ~ it really does help, but some days I can't drink it because it interfers with my sleep. I am a 45 min drive from my work, and by the time I get home, sleep, have enough time to get ready without feeling rushed and go back, I am left with 5 hours of sleep time if I am lucky (less if we don't get out on time). I tried drinking most of the water between 8pm and midnight ~ thinking that that was enough hours to get it out of my system before sleeping. NOT. I ended up waking up every hour to have to go to the bathroom. I was having sleeping problems already and did not need that added complication. So, back to the drawing board......
Sorry, I didn't mean to ramble on. Thanks for listening.
To me lack of sleep means the "S" word...........sugar!!!! I munch on sweets, cookies, chocolate etc when I am tired, and it makes it worse. Do I learn, nope!
I can sure relate to this topic..note, it is almost midnight here in Cali and I have to be up in less than six hours. Here's pretty much my theory. The longer you are awake in the day, the longer you have to make bad eating choices.
I'm with you all about the carb snacking. That's me too. Just for once I wish I could just be sitting here and think, "I'm hungry for some cauliflower". Hehe..just does not happen.
Until you mentined it, I hadn't really thought about it. But my son has been up the last few nights (teething) so I am not getting the sleep I should and ALL weekend it was a struggle to keep from shoving carbs into my mouth. Maybe this has something to do with the "quick fuel" that carbs provide our bodies and when we are tired all our bodies want is the fuel to keep going, even if it is temporary.
The way I combatted it was by eating a protein bar. Filled me up and gave me the sensation of munching. It got me through to the next meal anyway.
I am a big proponent of getting enough sleep. Absolutely when I am tired I don't make the right choices during the day, I tend to go for the fast foods and it is a lot harder to battle the carvings when you are tired.
Sleep and eating choices.
