Shopping When Sleepy, A Recipe for Spending More

Smart shoppers know to avoid shopping for food on an empty stomach. It’s a recipe for coming home with high calorie food items, and likely spending more money than planned. But had you heard that you should also avoid shopping for food when sleepy? Shopping while sleep deprived may have the same effect according to a Swedish study that was published in the journal Obesity. Fourteen men were asked to go shopping twice- in the morning after a full night’s sleep and in the morning after a night of no sleep. Given $50 to spend, they were asked to buy as much as they could out of 40 possible items including 20 high-caloric and 20 low-caloric choices. To make sure they were not hungry, they were fed a solid breakfast before shopping both times. The results? After a night of not sleeping, more money was spent and more high-caloric foods were bought than the morning the participants were well rested. This study from Sweden, along with many others, is showing the important role our behaviors play in weight gain and weight maintenance. We can use this information in our daily lives by considering how our bodies respond when we don’t get enough sleep. Not only should we not shop hungry, but whenever possible, avoid shopping on less than seven hours of sleep when we know we are tired or sleep deprived.

Make Sleep a Priority

Getting optimal sleep allows you to feel your Top and be productive. Healthy sleep also helps to regulate your metabolism. Allow for at least 7 hours of sleep each night.

Use your Bedroom only for Sleep

Remove distractions such as computers, phones, or other devices that may prevent you from going to sleep and staying asleep. Doing this allows you to create a positive association with the bedroom.

Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day keeps your biological clock in tune.

Exercise

Exercising too close to bedtime may actually keep you awake, but developing a healthy exercise routine during the morning or early evening can be very beneficial in helping you sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation exercise may reduce insomnia by decreasing arousal, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, allowing your body to relax and sleep.

A light snack at bedtime can promote sleep, but eating too much food or foods high in fat close to bedtime can cause digestive discomfort or heartburn that leads to wakefulness. Avoid drinks high in caffeine for at least eight hours prior to bedtime. Alcohol should be avoided 4 hours prior to bedtime. Alcohol is metabolized by the body, it fragments sleep, which tends to cause nighttime awakenings and next-day tiredness. “People have the misconception that alcohol helps,” says Ralph Downey III, chief of sleep medicine at the Loma Linda University Medical Center in California. “It doesn’t.”

If you continually struggle with sleep you should contact your physician to rule out a sleep disorder. Over 18 million Americans suffer from a condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and over 90% go undiagnosed. Sidebar Signs You May have Sleep Apnea (Place in box- if space permits)

– Loud, Heavy Snoring
– Periods of Not Breathing During Sleep
– High Blood Pressure
– Easily Frustrated/ Irritated/ Depressed
– Drowsy Driving
– Morning Headaches
– Heart Disease
– Weight Gain
– Inability to Lose Weight
– Diabetes
– Acid Reflux
– Not Feeling Rested after Full Night’s Sleep