Thanks to freedigitalphotos.net for the pictureIt all comes down to the amount of sleep, and some specific hormones.
The hormones in question? Leptin and grehlin. Leptin is produced by fat cells, and suppresses appetite, whereas grehlin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, and stimulates appetite.
Research shows that when you are tired, your body is wired to produce grehlin and suppress leptin when you are tired… essentially meaning that even if you don’t truly need food, your body will tell you that you do.
Which essentially leads to eating more food… and thus gaining weight.
My recommendation? Make sure you are getting good quality sleep, aiming for eight hours each night to help control your weight.
Chloe McLeod is a dietitian at BJC Health.
This blog focuses on diet & nutrition generally and diet & nutrition in relation to the treatment of arthritis and arthritis-related diseases. Contact us if you'd like our help in managing diet-related health issues.
