I remember hearing a long time ago that lack of sleep can increase your appetite. A study done in 2004 seems to confirm this theory. (You can read about it here.)
I believe it. As the mother of very small children, I often found myself wandering through the day in complete exhaustion, grabbing cookies in an misguided effort to perk myself up. When you are really tired and you can't sleep and can't fit a quick work-out into your life, either, what are you to do? I am here to tell you that eating sugar and fat doesn't really help.
Now my children are no longer so small and my nights are generally uninterrupted. However, I have a job that requires me to stay up until midnight three nights a week . . . and the rest of the week, I find myself staying up that late as well. I am more geared towards being a night-owl than a morning lark. And I can not sleep when I got to bed early, even if the opportunity presents itself. I like the quiet of late nights, I admit.
I sort of sleep in, though my daughter wakes me early with a myriad of questions and requests, usually starting at 7 a.m. And when school is in session (as it still is, until mid-June around here), I stumble downstairs and sign planners and comb hair and shoo the children out the door to catch their ride. Even though I doze through the rest of the morning, sometimes falling into a deep sleep filled with weird dreams, I am sure that my requirement for sleep is unfulfilled.
So I must remind myself that eating will not make me feel more rested. The only thing to do is persevere and look forward to that summer day--soon approaching--when I am not required to wake up by 8 a.m. and can sleep long enough, despite the occasional interruptions.
Cookies do not equal nap-time. I've got to remember that.
I believe it. As the mother of very small children, I often found myself wandering through the day in complete exhaustion, grabbing cookies in an misguided effort to perk myself up. When you are really tired and you can't sleep and can't fit a quick work-out into your life, either, what are you to do? I am here to tell you that eating sugar and fat doesn't really help.
Now my children are no longer so small and my nights are generally uninterrupted. However, I have a job that requires me to stay up until midnight three nights a week . . . and the rest of the week, I find myself staying up that late as well. I am more geared towards being a night-owl than a morning lark. And I can not sleep when I got to bed early, even if the opportunity presents itself. I like the quiet of late nights, I admit.
I sort of sleep in, though my daughter wakes me early with a myriad of questions and requests, usually starting at 7 a.m. And when school is in session (as it still is, until mid-June around here), I stumble downstairs and sign planners and comb hair and shoo the children out the door to catch their ride. Even though I doze through the rest of the morning, sometimes falling into a deep sleep filled with weird dreams, I am sure that my requirement for sleep is unfulfilled.
So I must remind myself that eating will not make me feel more rested. The only thing to do is persevere and look forward to that summer day--soon approaching--when I am not required to wake up by 8 a.m. and can sleep long enough, despite the occasional interruptions.
Cookies do not equal nap-time. I've got to remember that.
Hang in there. It's a holiday weekend--get some rest.
Posted by: Paige | May 26, 2008 at 08:15 AM
I'm completely with ya on this. I live in incredibly busy and crazy life at the moment and I frequently find myself eating to 'perk up' the day after a late night. Ugh.
Posted by: Patricia | May 26, 2008 at 06:45 PM
I swear this is why I gain so much weight when I'm pregnant, and can't lose it until the baby sleeps through the night.
Posted by: b | May 27, 2008 at 08:47 AM