Sugar and sleep are so closely connected, it’s amazing we don’t talk about this frenemy relationship more often! When it comes to practicing healthy sleep routines, sugar can cause absolute chaos. That usually doesn’t come as a surprise. But did you know that poor sleep can also kick up your body’s cravings for sugar? Yikes.
The sugar and sleep conundrum can feel like a vicious cycle – and it is, both psychologically and biochemically. Let’s take a look at how these two topics are related so we can understand how poor sleep and sugar cravings feed off each other – and how we can fix it to improve wellbeing.
Sleep Quality is Pivotal to Wellbeing
We know that sleep plays a massive role in health and wellbeing. From cardiovascular issues to weight gain to sluggish cognitive functioning and sour mood, poor sleep can cause issues in many facets of life. Adopting a consistent sleep cycle is vital to keep your body and mind functioning their best.
Many individuals struggle with sleep, and there are a vast amount of issues that can be the source of the problem. Both quality (deep, undisturbed sleep) and quantity (consecutive hours of sleep each night) are important. And while lifestyle plays a large role in establishing a healthy nighttime routine, there’s one component that may be making things much harder in your quest for quality sleep: sugar.
A Vicious Cycle: More Sugar, Less Sleep. Less Sleep, More Sugar.
People who consume more sugar often experience more restless sleep, according to a prominent study conducted in 2016. Restless sleep is synonymous with more disruptions during deep, slow-wave sleep, ultimately slashing the overall quality of sleep that the individual gets.
At a biochemical level, what’s happening is that the pancreas releases insulin in response to higher blood sugar levels, essentially fueling cells and stimulating the body – the opposite of what you need at bedtime. In the process, sugar also uses up a considerable amount of magnesium, which is needed for sleep. Simply put, sugar signals the body to get ready for activity, decimating natural sleep signals in the process.
But here’s where it turns into a vicious cycle. Studies show that both lack of sleep and poor sleep quality (meaning, restless sleep that’s riddled with disruptions) can interfere with the normal production of leptin and ghrelin – hormones that are important in regulating appetite. All of this combined with the dopamine effect that happens when sugar is consumed, and it’s easy to spiral out of control. Poor sleep leads to stronger sugar cravings, and more sugar leads to poorer sleep.
3 Tips for Finding Balance with Sugar & Sleep
For most, eliminating sugar is a seemingly impossible goal. Start small with these tips.
- Cut sugar from late-afternoon and evening snacks. Eating sugary foods earlier in the day gives the body more time to process them before bed.
- Get adequate exercise and exposure to sunlight. This supports the body’s natural sleep cycle.
- Eat foods high in tryptophan. Turkey, cottage cheese, beans and nuts are all good sources of tryptophan, which helps produce serotonin and cue the body for rest.
