{"id":22,"date":"2019-03-17T20:59:26","date_gmt":"2019-03-17T20:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powelldentalsleepsolutions.com\/blog\/?p=22"},"modified":"2019-04-03T10:32:49","modified_gmt":"2019-04-03T10:32:49","slug":"crave-junk-food-how-sleep-hygiene-blame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powelldentalsleepsolutions.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/17\/crave-junk-food-how-sleep-hygiene-blame\/","title":{"rendered":"Crave Junk Food? How Your Sleep Hygiene Could Be to Blame"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"tired<\/p>\n

You\u2019re tired almost all the time, and you want junk food. It turns out that that may not be a coincidence. In fact, did you know that if you\u2019re sleep deprived, you can crave junk food more strongly? This can lead to overeating and weight gain. To celebrate National Nutrition Month in March, keep reading this post to learn more about sleep hygiene<\/a>, how it can affect your desire to eat, and ways you can improve your sleep hygiene and your nutrition.<\/p>\n

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What is sleep hygiene?<\/h2>\n

Simply put, sleep hygiene refers to good, healthy habits that you help you maintain quality sleep. These include getting sufficient quantity of sleep, providing a relaxing environment for you to sleep in, and consistency in when you go to bed and wake up. Keeping up sleep hygiene can make all the difference and help you have restful nights and better days. On the other hand, having poor sleep hygiene can have devastating effects on your health, including your nutrition.<\/p>\n

How does a lack of sleep influence my nutrition?<\/h2>\n

A 2018 study published in JNeurosci<\/em>, an official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, found that participants who were sleep deprived placed more subjective value in food compared to non-food items. They also found junk food much more desirable. This result confirms what other studies in the past have found\u2014that a lack of quality sleep can contribute to overeating and a risk of obesity. When you don\u2019t get sufficient sleep, your brain turns to food to give it the reward it seeks. As a result, your brain craves even more \u201crewarding\u201d foods, such as sugar and other junk food items. When you\u2019re fully rested, your desire for unhealthy foods diminishes, making it easier to make better food choices.<\/p>\n

What can I do to improve my sleep hygiene?<\/h2>\n

Luckily, there are a lot of little lifestyle changes you can make to get a more restful night\u2019s sleep, including the following:<\/p>\n