Most people know that poor sleep affects energy.
What they may not realise is that it can also make hunger and cravings feel more difficult to manage the following day.
This often becomes most noticeable between 4pm and 6pm.
You have finished a long day of work, your energy is low and that sweet tooth suddenly feels much stronger.
It is easy to assume that you need more discipline.
But sometimes, the more effective place to start is with your sleep.
Improving the quality and consistency of your sleep can support your energy, appetite and ability to make choices that align with your goals.
It does not need to be perfect.
Aim for four or five good nights each week rather than trying to overhaul your routine overnight.
Small improvements, repeated consistently, can make a noticeable difference.
Perfect is the enemy of good.
A few places to start
If your sleep has been broken lately, especially if you're waking in the night or only getting four or five hours, you're not alone. It's one of the most common things the women I coach mention.
A few things that work well for my clients:
- Skip alcohol wherever you can. Even one glass of wine or beer can seriously affect the quality of your sleep, and will reduce your energy and increase hunger and cravings the next day.
- Stop drinking water about an hour before bed, so you're not waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.
- Switch off from social media and TV at least 30 minutes before bed.
- Ideally, avoid work emails or anything work related from 8pm. It's important to give your brain time to wind down into a more relaxed state.
- Aim to be in bed by 11pm, so you get plenty of deep sleep and wake up more rested the next day.
None of this needs to be perfect to make a difference. Four or five better nights a week is a great target, and a great place to start.