Is poor sleep making your cravings and appetite struggles worse? And vice versa?

Sleep! 😴 For some people, it can feel totally elusive, and if you’re someone who doesn’t sleep well, you’ll already be well aware of how much it impacts how you feel and function the next day.

I’ll try to keep this week’s blog short, as we all know how important sleep is, but I wanted to highlight something I see a lot with clients. How easily people can get stuck in a vicious cycle! 🔁 Without realising it. 🙃

🍃 The cycle often looks something like this 👇

Poor sleep → low energy → stronger cravings → unstable blood sugar → disrupted sleep again.

A vicious cycle which can feel impossible to break!

What’s happening physiologically?

Sleep plays an important role in regulating appetite.

Two hormones help control hunger - Leptin, which signals fullness and Ghrelin, which stimulates hunger.

🌸 When sleep is disrupted, ghrelin tends to increase while leptin decreases. In simple terms, the body pushes you to eat more while the signals that say “you’ve had enough, you're full,” become weaker.

Sleep also affects insulin sensitivity, which helps regulate blood sugar. When you haven’t slept well, the same food may cause a larger rise in blood sugar compared with when you are well rested! When sleep is poor, you are also more likely to experience heightened peaks and troughs, or highs and lows of blood sugar.

And when blood sugar drops, the body naturally looks for balance, often in the form of sugar or refined carbohydrates. Hello, Battenberg and jelly beans! 🙈

A disrupted blood sugar and heightened sensitivity to those highs and lows can then trigger stress hormones during the night and contribute to restless sleep or night waking.

You see the vicious cycle!

Poor sleep drives low energy ➡️ increases cravings for sugar and carbohydrates ➡️ unstable blood sugar during the day ➡️ which in turn can contribute to poor quality sleep and night waking. 🔁 😮‍💨

The encouraging part!

Many people think poor sleep is something they just have to live with, but very often, sleep can be improved through nutrition and lifestyle.

I often find that when clients come in for something else, their sleep improves along the way, and they start to feel much more rested.

When we begin to stabilise blood sugar through balanced meals, manage caffeine intake, support the nervous system and create more consistent eating and sleep habits, these small changes, done consistently, can make a surprisingly big difference. 💫

And this is where we can start to change that vicious cycle…

A good night’s sleep → feel more rested and energised → fewer cravings and better blood sugar stability → more balanced days → and in turn, better sleep again.

You achieve both better sleep and the ability to maintain a healthy eating pattern throughout the day!

If you want deeper support stabilising energy, blood sugar and metabolic health, you can learn more about my services here - https://www.julie-hodgson.com/nutritionalandlifestyleservices

Or, if you have any questions or feedback, don't hesitate to get in touch via the details below.

Wishing you an abundance of health and vitality!

 Julie x

Helping you live a healthier, happier life

mBANT, CNHC Nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching

Specialising in Metabolic Health, Energy Regulation and Chronic Health Conditions.

https://www.julie-hodgson.com/contact

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