We’ve all got days we’re lethargic, maybe even cranky—when suddenly, the thought of an indulgent snack seems like the perfect way to brighten the mood. A candy bar or bag of chips may be an OK pick-me-up on occasion. However, new research suggests that lazy feeling may be associated with your calorie consumption in a way you never realized. The good news is, you might be able to fix it.

We all know that too much snacking can lead to weight gain and even obesity in the long-term, but to kick a snacking habit is usually easier said than done. The problem seems to affect a lot of people, as a recent survey concluded that seven in 10 Americans never leave the house without a snack. Similarly, another poll found that just under half of surveyed Americans (48%) routinely keep a “snack stash” hidden away from even their closest loved ones for covert munching.

If you’ve been working to establish healthier habits, new research at the Ohio State University that was just published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics may interest you. Read on to learn more about the surprising connection between sleep patterns and snacking. Also, don’t miss This New Study Just Discovered The #1 Weight Loss Lie About Eating Nuts.

The research team at OSU reports that failing to attain at least seven hours of sleep per night is associated with eating more snacks that are high in carbohydrates, added fats, sugar, and caffeine.

So why does neglecting sleep lead to more snacking? The study’s authors explain that when we stay up late, we give ourselves more opportunities to carelessly chow down. It’s a simple equation: If you’re sleeping, you can’t be snacking!

Moreover, this research finds that pretty much everyone, regardless of sleep habits, prefers salty or sugary foods and non-alcoholic soft drinks when it’s snack time. This is one more reason people with poor sleep patterns end up ingesting more unhealthy calories on a daily basis.

It’s universally recommended that adults sleep for at least seven hours per night in order to maintain ideal health and wellbeing, and lack of sleep has long been linked to a long list of health issues like increased risk of heart disease and obesity. Still, this study takes things a step further by drawing a straight line from lack of sleep to more unhealthy snacking. “We know lack of sleep is linked to obesity from a broader scale, but it’s all these little behaviors that are anchored around how that happens,” said senior study author Christopher Taylor, professor of medical dietetics in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The Ohio State University.

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The study analyzed data on nearly 20,000 American adults between the ages of 20 and 60 years old. All that information had originally been collected between 2007 and 2018 for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a health poll led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Each participant had filled out a series of dietary surveys asking about their daily eating and sleeping habits.

Using that data, the research team separated subjects into various categories based on the amount of sleep they were getting, the nutrition value of their usual snacks, and the usual time of day in which said snacking occurred.

A subsequent analysis produced a number of revelations. To start, most participants (95.5%) said they habitually ate at least one snack per day. Over 50% of all snacking calories among all participants came from—you guessed it—not-so-healthy foods and beverages such as soda, energy drinks, chips, cookies, and pastries.

Notably, in comparison to adults who routinely slept seven or more hours per night, those with less-than-ideal sleep patterns were more likely to eat a morning snack. They also consumed more snacks with little to no nutritional value in general.

This finding regarding morning snacking is important because it shows not all snacking occurs in the evening. One possible explanation for this is that those who don’t sleep enough requiring more caloric energy to get going in the A.M. (due to inadequate sleep).

RELATED: The #1 Best Supplement for Sleep, Says Dietitian

Another important element of these findings is the observation that nighttime snacking has particular consequences, since many people avoid workouts or strenuous activities.

The end result is that those extra calories go to bed with you, instead of being burned off with activity.

“At night, we’re drinking our calories and eating a lot of convenience foods,” Taylor explained. “Not only are we not sleeping when we stay up late, but we’re doing all these obesity-related behaviors: lack of physical activity, increased screen time, food choices that we’re consuming as snacks and not as meals. So it creates this bigger impact of meeting or not meeting sleep recommendations.”

RELATED: This Is the #1 Worst Nighttime Snack for Your Waistline, Says an Expert

There are plenty of reasons to prioritize sleep, but researchers hope their findings encourage at least a few readers to hit the hay earlier. Besides just keeping you refreshed, a steady sleep schedule also promotes cleaner eating.

Meeting sleep recommendations is also tied to not doing the things that can harm health, Taylor concluded. “The longer we’re awake, the more opportunities we have to eat. And at night, those calories are coming from snacks and sweets. Every time we make those decisions, we’re introducing calories and items related to increased risk for chronic disease, and we’re not getting whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

“Even if you’re in bed and trying to fall asleep, at least you’re not in the kitchen eating,” Taylor said, “so if you can get yourself to bed, that’s a starting point.”

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Are you having problems sleeping, but you’re not sure how to fix it? It can be difficult to find out what you’re doing wrong. Read through the following list to see if these common sleep problems apply to you and and learn how to improve your sleep.

You Have Bad Sleep Habits

How you prepare for bed is just as important as how you actually sleep at night. Before going to sleep, here are two things you should do:

• Clean your room – A clean room before bed will calm your mind down and lead to less stress before bed. Stress is one of the major factors for poor sleep quality.
• Create a sleep routine – Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. By having a consistent sleep schedule, you will regulate your sleep, adjust your brain, and experience longer, deeper sleep.

You Don’t Sleep On Your Side

The way you sleep is also incredibly important. Sleeping on your back, side, or front can all have a significant effect on how well you sleep.

Stomach sleepers are more likely to toss and turn. This sleeping position can also cause neck and lower back pain. If you sleep on your back, you may experience increased snoring and cause sleep apnea to worsen if you have it. Most doctors recommend sleeping on your side. If you have back or hip pain, they recommend placing a pillow between your legs to help with alignment.

If side sleeping isn’t the right position for you due to weight, consider sleeping on your back, and prop up your head and upper back on a pillow. If you find yourself breathing poorly because you have to sleep on your back, you may want to get a mouthpiece for snoring.

You Drink Before Bed

What and how you drink before bed can have a massive effect on the quality of sleep you get. If you tend to burn the midnight oil, you may find yourself drinking coffee or tea at night, but this can cause problems with your sleep schedule. Doctors recommend limiting caffeine before bed up to 4 hours beforehand. Any closer than that and you can find yourself tossing and turning all night, limiting the quantity and quality of your sleep.

On the other hand, while alcohol is a depressant and may make you feel like it puts you to sleep when you drink it, the chemical process it has on your brain actually diminishes your quality of sleep. Depending on how much you’ve drank, it can leave you just as sleep deprived as if you hadn’t slept at all.

You Need To Put Away Your Electronics

The light emitted by electronics at night is a huge sleep disruptor. They produce blue light, which can mimic the light of the sun. Unfortunately, exposure to blue light can throw off your circadian rhythms and cause insomnia. It’s best to keep electronics away at bedtime.

You Need Help

Have you tried some or all of these tips and your quality of sleep still hasn’t gone up? It may be time to see your doctor. You may have a medical condition like sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or insomnia. Let your doctor know of any problems you might be having and what you’ve done to remedy the situation. They might know of some other ways to fix the issue you are having or prescribe medication. Don’t be afraid; over 70 million Americans have sleep issues. Your problems are not unique.

Hopefully, this list has helped you to find and diagnose any poor sleep habits you have and will allow you to correct them.

*collaborative post

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