With people living such busy lives one thing that can often be neglected is sleep. Many people think if they just cut out an hour or two of sleep each night they will be able to get so much more done during the day, but this habit can take a toll on your health eventually.
The more sleep deficient you become, the more health issues that arise. It can cause you to have a weaker immune system, increase in chronic inflammation which can cause heart issues, decrease in mental function/alertness, and increase in risk for obesity. The link between sleep deprivation and obesity is likely due to the change in hormones when your body is not well rested. Ghrelin, which is a hormone that tells you when to eat is increased with sleep deprivation and Leptin, a hormone that tells you when you are full is decreased. So basically, your body is telling you to consume more during this time than if you had adequate sleep. Also, during sleep deprivation people typically reach for foods that are high in fat and sugar, leading to more weight gain.
So what can you do to help this? Start making sleep a priority and try to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night and here are some tips to help make that happen:
1) Exercise regularly
2) Don't eat too close to bedtime
3) Avoid drinking caffeine in the afternoon
4) Avoid alcohol before bed because it reduces the quality of your sleep
5) Set an alarm for when it is time to go to bed which will allow you to get your 7-9 hours of sleep
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