drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
Not getting enough sleep: It can make you gain fat. Poor sleep patterns are associated with fat gain, for a host of physiological and psychological reasons. Studies have shown that when sleep improves, even by just adding one extra hour of sleep per night, sugar cravings fade away. Lack of sleep also interferes with decision making, exacerbates feelings of depression and anxiety, and can even cause men think they look good in joggers (probably).
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Prescription sleep drugs are popular, but the side effects are harsh. Plus, sleep drugs don't address what actually causes bad sleep for many: stress. In one study, researchers looked at work stress and nighttime overeating. Overeating at night is common, and it's linked to two things: 1. Delicious, waist-widening foods are comforting. They can soothe stress, or at least mask it temporarily. 2. The willpower well has run dry. It’s kinda like this: When you wake up you're given a glass of willpower. You sip it all day to help you make good decisions about food and exercise. But stress can quickly evaporate your willpower. By the time you come home you're out of willpower juice, which makes it easy to nosh on junk foods. And if you had a poor night of sleep the night before, then you started the day with a half-empty glass.
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In the study, the researchers looked at people with high-stress jobs. Sure enough, that pissy work mood rode home with them in the passenger seat, and they overate in the evening. However, when the workers had good sleep the night before, they experienced less stress at work and didn't overeat in the evening. So, better sleep leads to less stress, and less stress leads to greater willpower, and greater willpower leads to better nutrition choices. Since prescription sleep drugs usually don't address the problem of stress, we have to look for sleep aides that do
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Prescription sleep drugs are popular, but the side effects are harsh. Plus, sleep drugs don't address what actually causes bad sleep for many: stress. In one study, researchers looked at work stress and nighttime overeating. Overeating at night is common, and it's linked to two things: 1. Delicious, waist-widening foods are comforting. They can soothe stress, or at least mask it temporarily. 2. The willpower well has run dry. It’s kinda like this: When you wake up you're given a glass of willpower. You sip it all day to help you make good decisions about food and exercise. But stress can quickly evaporate your willpower. By the time you come home you're out of willpower juice, which makes it easy to nosh on junk foods. And if you had a poor night of sleep the night before, then you started the day with a half-empty glass.
-
In the study, the researchers looked at people with high-stress jobs. Sure enough, that pissy work mood rode home with them in the passenger seat, and they overate in the evening. However, when the workers had good sleep the night before, they experienced less stress at work and didn't overeat in the evening. So, better sleep leads to less stress, and less stress leads to greater willpower, and greater willpower leads to better nutrition choices. Since prescription sleep drugs usually don't address the problem of stress, we have to look for sleep aides that do
