Can’t seem to stop yourself from finishing off that box of Girl Scout cookies before bed? Going to bed earlier might help. A new study finds a link between sleep deprivation and high-calorie food cravings, especially in women.
The research on nearly 500 women between the ages of 20 and 76 finds those with poor sleep quality or lack of sleep also ate more foods with more added sugars, saturated fats, and caffeine. Close to a third (30%) of participants report sleeping less than seven hours and they also ate an extra 500 to 800 calories a day. These women exceeded daily recommendations for saturated fats, added sugars and caffeine, and didn’t get enough healthy foods, like grains and fiber.
Not only is this bad for their waistlines, researchers warn that women are already at high risk for obesity and sleep disorders and foods loaded with sugars and fats are linked to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. They stress the importance of good, quality sleep for women to manage body weight as well as to help prevent heart disease.
BRB, going to bed!
photo: Getty Ima