I was away on a retreat over the weekend and I didn't get much sleep, 3 hours probably. I love my sleep. Now that my kids are older I get a minimum of 6 hours every night, but aim for 7 or 8 hours - that's when I feel my best. But I don't sleep well in strange places, without my routine and away from my own bed. So I was really feeling the effects of sleep deprivation on Sunday.

I was surprised at the different ways the lack of sleep affected me. My mood would normally be the first place lack of sleep would show. However I wasn't grouchy, because my heart was so full of joy from the fabulous weekend I had with amazing women. My memory was a lacking, as I would expect from a sleepless night.

The most interesting thing it affected was my food choices. I'm a nutritionist, and I eat fairly well almost all the time. But I found I was reaching for sugary baked goods, breads and other things I can normally easily resist or have no desire for. I was surprised. Because I hadn't slept well I was eating stuff I knew wasn't good for me, and would make me feel worse, and I didn't care. I also over caffinated which lead to trouble sleeping when I was finally able to rest. It can be a viscous cycle to break. Do you make poor food choices when you are over tired too?

I always ask my clients how they are sleeping, as it effects so much in the body, hormones, heart heath, metabolism, memory, mood, anxiety and more! I can see so much in how the body is functioning by talking about their sleep.

A sleepless night will affect your adrenal levels, as your adrenaline is amped up in order for you to force your body to function through the day without the rest and repair time it needs. This can lead to feeling shaky, jittery, headaches and being so tired that your are not able to sleep. Frequent sleeplessness can lead to adrenal fatigue, where the adrenal glands fail to respond properly and the body is in a constant state of fatigue, jitters or fluctuates back and forth frequently seemingly without cause.

Your cortisol levels will also increase with lack of sleep. Increased cortisol levels are responsible for the sugar cravings most people experience when they are sleep deprived. That is because high cortisol levels demand quick and easy energy, burning fuel quickly and impairing complex digestion and metabolism. The easiest foods for the body to convert into energy are sugary foods and simple carbohydrates (baking, breads). This in turn leads to weight gain, or inability to lose weight, and inflammation in the body from too much sugar. In the long term this can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. (Read more about the effects of cortisol imbalances here.)

It may be comforting to know that these hormonal imbalances in your body may be causing your food cravings, but it is not enough. We need to fix your sleep. Check out my blog post on Insomnia for some tips to improve your sleep.

Lack of sleep is a stressful event for the body and mind. While one sleepless night once in a while isn't a big deal, chronic sleep deprivation can be very harmful. This continued stress throws off hormone levels (including fertility, sex hormones and libido), can trigger anxiety, effect the heart, respiratory system, sex hormones, metabolism and memory. Read more about the affects of cortisol and adrenaline here.

Proper sleep is a big deal, and if you're not sleeping well it's time to change that. Getting enough sleep will can only improve your life and your health. It's time to start sleeping better, now. Contact Lisa for more information or to book your appointment today.

I hope you have found this information helpful. My goal is to share information to educate and empower people to take control of their own health. Please contact Lisa for more information. I would love to help you experience Better Health Naturally!

The information provided here is for educational purposes only. For treatment please seek a qualified health care provider.

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