Not getting enough sleep can trick you into eating junk food
In the past, many patients complained to me that they were eating less and exercising more, but their weight was still increasing with age! Usually the first thing I ask is: "So, do you usually have enough sleep?" Then there is a period of silence. When many people formulate weight loss plans, they often only focus on diet and exercise control, but do not think deeply about sleep habits.
There are actually two digestive hormones linked to sleep habits that control our hunger and appetite. When the stomach is empty, it secretes ghrelin, which sends a message to the brain that the body is hungry and needs to eat something. When the stomach is full, fat cells will send out leptin (Leptin), and once our brain receives it, it will stop eating.
Research has found that if you only sleep for four hours for two consecutive days, ghrelin will increase, leptin will decrease by 20%, and hunger and appetite will also significantly increase by about 24%. As a result, you will be attracted to high-calorie, high-sugar foods, which is why people after staying up late crave fried chicken, French fries, pizza and other foods.
Therefore, lack of sleep will not only deceive your body into thinking it is hungry, but also trick you into eating things that will destroy your health. It will be difficult not to gain weight even if you do this!
