Teens Lacking Sleep at Risk for Weight Problems

New research with 240 eighteen-year-olds found that as sleep duration went down¹ the consumption of fat and the habit of snacking increased. These changes are enough to shift healthy metabolic function onto a path of weight gain. If someone is already overweight then the shorter sleep time is simply going to further aggravate the problem.

It is actually normal to want more food when you are tired. This is because cells around your body think they need more fuel. In terms of human evolution, tiredness is a symptom of a lack of food intake.

Today, this is not the case for many American teens. Tiredness is caused by other reasons, especially cutting sleep short or not being able to sleep properly. However, the old gene programming to eat more food as a solution still kicks in, sending tired teens on a path of metabolic inefficiency that can easily induce weight gain or cause existing weight problems to worsen.

In addition to using stress and sleep support nutrition, managing time more wisely, and adopting better stress management skills, it is important to really watch the urge to snack or binge eat. Snacking is not a good thing as it raises leptin and insulin too often – like a repetitive strain injury to metabolism. Once leptin elevates then leptin resistance sets in, which makes a person even more tired and hungry – as proper leptin function is needed to give your energy-producing systems a green light.

Regardless of how tired you are, do everything in your power not to snack. You can use blood sugar support nutrients to help you get through. Follow the Leptin Diet in this situation or you will be far more likely to gain weight and induce an adulthood of poor health.