Tag Archives: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Can ‘Junk Sleep’ Lead To Junk Food?
‘Junk Sleep’ = Junk Food?
It’s late. You’re tired. You’re hungry. You open up a bag of a snack food — let’s say, chips — and 20 minutes later, it’s empty. The whole bag is gone!
You may not be hungry anymore, but you’ve sabotaged your day, nutritionally speaking. The quantities of calories, salt and fats you’ve just consumed far exceed the daily recommended allowances (not counting what you had already eaten).
Going through these motions of mindlessly satisfying your late-day hunger with little or no dietary value is an all-too-familiar scenario for many of us. Repeating this over time could contribute to high blood pressure, clogged arteries and even obesity.
Why would you do such a thing? You knew it was unwise. You had a fulfilling breakfast, lunch and dinner. Why were you so hungry, and why did you reach for that greasy bag when the pantry and refrigerator were stocked with much healthier alternatives?
The answer to all of these questions could be, “junk sleep.”
