Not Getting Enough Sleep Can Make You Fat

A recent study from the University of Chicago Medical Center found that "adults who got five and a half hours of shut-eye ate 221 more calories from snack foods than those who slept for eight and a half hours. They also took in a higher percentage of those calories from refined carbs." So while getting enough sleep might not cause you to eat bigger meals, the end result is higher calories in the form of poorly chosen snacks. Stephanie Clark, R.D. says, "If you're exhausted, your body will crave carbs to replenish its energy reserves." If you know you aren't getting enough sleep, or know you are going to be stressed out in the near future, arm yourself with healthy, low-calorie snacks. Some ideas would include sliced fruit, lowfat yogurt, sliced veggies, granola bars, etc.