When You Didn’t Sleep Well

Have you ever had a poor night’s sleep and then felt like your cravings were out of control the next day?

There’s a reason for that. Research shows that when we don’t get enough quality sleep, it throws off our hunger hormones so that we feel an increase in hunger and have a harder time knowing when we’re full. Not only that, but because our bodies are looking for energy, we tend to crave foods high in sugar and refined carbs, and we have less impulse control leading to poorer food choices.

So what to do if you’ve had a bad night’s sleep?

You don’t have to be resigned to a day of emotional eating. If you believe that you have no choice but to overeat, then you most likely will. Just being prepared and having a plan can help empower you to make better choices and see that you still are in charge of what you eat.

Try simplifying your day and focusing only on those things that absolutely need to get done.

Show yourself some extra love and self care.

Making sleep a priority is so important not only for emotional eating, but also for our overall health.

Some tips for getting a good night’s sleep:

*Try to stick to a sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.

*Create a restful sleep environment that is dark, quiet and cool, ideally around 65 degrees.

*Shut down electronics 1-2 hours before bed.

*Do calming activities before bed, like reading a book, taking a bath, meditating, listening to music, doing breathwork.

*If you find that you are worrying about things, try writing down all your worries on paper to get them out of your head, knowing that you will deal with them tomorrow.

*Write a short list of things you are grateful for.

What helps you get a good night’s sleep?