Weight Loss Factoid 1

I was just thinking about how getting to bed earlier seems to help me avoid eating food after dinner. Right then, a link to this article about evening eating by dietitian Becky Hand arrived via email from Sparkpeople:

Sleep is a regulator of two hormones that affect appetite, leptin and ghrelin. Leptin helps suppress food intake and stimulate energy expenditure, while ghrelin stimulates appetite, fat production, and body growth. When one is sleep deprived, the level of leptin drops and the level of ghrelin increases. The result is a drastic increase in hunger. One study reported a 24% increase in hunger, with excessive, uncontrollable cravings for calorie and carbohydrate packed foods such as cookies, candy and cake. It can all add up to a vicious cycle of late night binges, lack of adequate sleep, uncontrolled snacking, late night binges, and so on.

This information could help me avoid late night eating. I need more sleep to take care of myself lovingly anyway. This is just one more motivator.