Is Sugar Affecting Your Sleep?
Is Sugar Really Evil?
Well, yes it is…. But you can fight this evil with simple.
Let’s start with the reasons why we crave sugar. Sleep deprived, past hunger point, and even dehydration.
Be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep. Every person needs different amounts of sleep, although I would say most need at least 8 hours to stay healthy. Some people believe they can survive on 4-6… key word being survive. Yes, you will survive on little sleep temporarily, but it will catch up to you and the evil sugar cravings will come back. Your body is exhausted and all you want to do is have a cupcake or some chocolate. Sound familiar?
The key to change… try and keep your bedtime around the same time every night, even on weekends, wake up at the same time and limit your tech time in the evening. If you try all 3 of these for a week, it will help decrease those cravings for sugar! In case you didn’t know the signals from our brain when we are hungry, can be the same signals when we are tired.
Do you ever skip meals? That is a no-no for several reasons, but I’m sharing about how the sugar cravings and over eating can really ramp up when we skip meals. Think back to a time when you skipped lunch because you were too busy at work or at home. Our blood sugar drops and our body needs energy… the fastest way to get energy is sugar! It raises your blood sugar very quickly, but then it crashes just as fast. Which means you’ll be back down low again and crave the same sugar. It’s a vicious cycle! The only way to stop this is to stick to meal times and even a few snacks through out the day with the right foods! Choose a high protein snack like nuts or natural jerky and some low sugar fruit. The fruit is sweet enough and the protein will help keep your stomach full longer. Another tip is have a meal that contains all the flavorings… sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. When we eat all these flavorings in one dish or meal, then our body is satisfied. There is a difference from being satisfied and full, but yet still hungry for dessert. We have all felt that before.
Make sure to drink plenty of water to fight off the evil sugar! Drinking a glass of water before we jump to the fridge or cupboard is always a good idea. It prepares our esophagus and stomach to received the food and it might just buy you a few minutes of eating something you don’t want or shouldn’t. The signals from our brain that we are hungry and thirsty are so similar and most of the time we choose food over water. Try reaching for that glass of water first before food next time.
One last tip for sugar cravings…. Balance! I would never tell someone to take cookies or ice cream or your favorite dessert out of your life! Our lives and community are built around food, which is so fun and makes us feel great eating and socializing. But, there is a point as to when we can need to control our choices and be happy. Decide what is your favorite desserts and allow yourself to indulge in them once a week! Typically it can take at least 3 days of sugar free foods to not crave sugar. This reset may need to happen every once in a while for most of us. Once we reset, then plan out your week for when you can have your favorite desserts and enjoy them! Make sure to sit down and savor the moment with that bowl of ice cream. Then, get up and go for a walk. :)
Be okay with a favorite dessert once in a while and keep it in check too.
Food for Thought this week: Pick one of the simple strategies that resonated with you and try it out this week! See how you feel or how it worked for you.
