How getting enough sleeps puts you in the mood

💥Here’s why you’re always hungry💥

Did you know that we’re getting less sleep than ever? Almost 60 years ago, a survey of more than 1 million people found that most people got 8-9 hours of sleep every night.

By 2000, that number dropped to about 7 hours a night. And now almost 20 years later, sleep experts say we’re sleeping even less- with many of us only 5-6 hours a night!

Woah! That’s a big drop in a short period of time. I guess it’s not surprising that energy drinks are so popular, right? But “powering through” on too little sleep is not a good idea for the longterm health of your body.

There are two major hormone “pathways” that take a big hit when you don’t get enough sleep- including hormones that handle things like your sex drive, stress, hunger, and blood sugar…and (ironically enough) even your ability to fall asleep! It only takes a night or two for them to get out of balance.

I’m just going to hit on just a few ways your sleep affects your hormones.

HUNGER- when you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases two important hormones that affect your appetite.

Ghrelin is your hunger hormone, which tells you to eat. Leptin is your “I’m full” hormone, which signals you to stop eating. Having disrupted sleep can throw those out of whack, leading you to feel hungry- and stay hungry, even when you eat! 😫😫😫

As you can imagine, this can cause round robin effect, leading to weight gain and a long list of related health problems.

STRESS- lack of sleep can cause stress- and stress can cause lack of sleep. The two go hand in hand. Over time, your cortisol levels- which normally rise in the morning to help get you going, and lower at night to help you sleep- can get turned around, throwing your sleep cycle off.

LIBIDO- Being sleep deprived for one week can cut your testosterone levels by as much as 15% (even in women!) This can have a pretty big impact on your quality of life! It can be tempting to think of sleeping as wasted time, but it’s actually the opposite. It’s when your body recovers, restores, and recharges for the coming day, helping you live your best life!!!