One surefire way to sabotage your position in the battle with food addiction is to not get enough sleep. Everyone performs better when they have had a good night’s sleep.
Sleep is something most people take for granted. It is a time for the body to renew and rejuvenate after the stress of everyday living.
Emotions are high when stress builds up. Resting the body helps to return the harmony and balance that stress takes away.
Unfortunately, there is not always enough time for sleep. Sometimes the stress keeps us from feeling tired or relaxed enough to fall asleep. And that presents a problem.
Going without enough sleep night after night creates an environment of fatigue that can spell disaster for someone with a food addiction or any problem with emotional eating.
Being a confirmed insomniac, I know what it feels like to go for days without sleep. Sleep deprivation places a stress on the body that cannot be relieved with a drug or a nap.
The kind of fatigue that is caused by sleepless nights is enduring, and sometimes it takes everything you have just to get through the day.
When the body is awake for long periods it craves energy and it will take whatever source is available. If sleep isn’t on the menu, then food will do just fine.
When fatigue is added to an already stressful day, emotions undermine the best of plans. The body will do what it has to do to survive.
While fatigue may not be a trigger for a food addiction, emotional eating is another story. People who eat when they are upset or even happy may eat even more when they are exhausted.
Get a good night’s sleep. Don’t stay up long enough to get your second wind. Go to bed when you are tired, unless you’re at work, and your chances for a good night’s sleep will increase greatly.
Think about what your body wants. If it wants food, feed it. If it wants rest, then give it sleep. The more in tune we are with our bodies, the less likely we are to have food addictions and problems with emotional eating.
Good night. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.