Sleep is such a vital part of supporting overall health, and getting more sleep may actually be the key to reducing your sugar cravings.
Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can make you more likely to grab junk food and may lead to weight gain. (1) And, you don’t have to have months or years of sleep deprivation for your body to start reacting in a negative way. A study found that just one week of sleeping just five hours per night led to weight gain. (2)
So, the bottom line? The body needs sleep. We need sleep to rest, rejuvenate, support hormone balance, and help us maintain a healthy lifestyle.
If you are struggling to get a good night sleep each night, here are four hacks to getting more shut-eye each night.
4 Hacks to Get a Better Night Sleep
#1 Go to Bed Earlier: If you are a night owl, but are struggling to get a solid night sleep because you are going to bed too late, try to hit the hay earlier. If we stay up too late, we run the risk of experiencing an evening cortisol spike which can make us feel wired and unable to sleep. So, try to get to bed before 10 PM, if possible.
#2 Implement a Night Time Routine: Evening routines aren’t just for kids, adults can benefit from them as well. If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, or have a hard time falling asleep, try to implement a nighttime routine to help wind down the day and prepare your mind and body for bed.
#3 Don’t Exercise Too Late: Exercise is such an important part of supporting overall health, but exercising too late may make some people feel too energized before bed. So, if exercise tends to wake your body up when you are trying to get into bed, try moving your exercise routine up a little earlier in the day.
#4 Support Your Hormones: Hormone balance is really the key to helping support many different areas of health, and if your body tends to fight sleep every single night, it may be a sign your hormones need a little TLC. Adaptogenic herbs are excellent for hormone balance, and our Yinergy and Vigor blends may be exactly what your body needs to help balance hormones and get more sleep.
Don't Let a Lack of Sleep be the Reason You Crave Sugar
If you find yourself cravings lots of sugary foods, despite your efforts to really keep sugar out of your diet, and you find yourself struggling to get enough sleep each night, try to make sleep a priority. See if you can get even an additional hour or two of sleep each night to see how that makes you feel, and see what it does for your sugar cravings.