The ills of latenight munchies
Study: Poor sleep adds to risk of heart disease
Bad sleep habits can drive a person to crave unhealthy foods high in fats and sugars — a combination researchers say contributes to lower heart health.
The study, released Monday by the American Heart Association, found that poor quality or an outright lack of sleep can make a person crave foods loaded with fats and sugars which in turn increase the overall risk of cardiovascular disease.
“When you have these hormonal differences from this lack of sleep … your body craves foods with sugar and foods that have fat,” said nutritionist Julie Starr, owner of Julie Starr Nutrition in Boston.
Starr said lack of sleep causes an increase in the hormone ghrelin and a decrease in the hormone leptin, which makes the body want sugary, fatty foods.
“It’s just what we naturally crave, our bodies know that sugar gives us an energy spike,” said Starr.
Nearly 500 women participated in the AHA study, which ran for a year and examined associations between sleep quality and diet.
Researchers found that those with poor sleep quality consumed more food and ate foods that were higher in sugar or fat.
The sleep study evaluated sleep duration, efficiency, medication, disturbances, daytime dysfunction and how long it takes to fall asleep.
The participants took a questionnaire about their diet that noted 70 food items and how frequently they consumed those items.
Starr said she sees many clients who struggle with sleep and diet. She recommends staying hydrated and combining sugar or fat intake with healthy proteins or whole grains to satisfy hunger.
“Every time you eat it’s a chance to nourish your body and you may not be in the mood or in the place to pick the absolute best for yourself, but at least try to pick the better one,” said Starr, adding that being aware of sleep patterns and their effect on diet is also an important tip.
A third of American adults report that they usually get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep a night, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Both short sleep duration and poor sleep quality are associated with the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the study states.
Women in the study who took at least an hour to fall asleep had a higher food intake but ate less whole grains than women who fell asleep in just 15 minutes.
Starr said if you’re having a busy week with little sleep, plan ahead by preparing healthy on-the-go foods and set realistic expectations about your diet.