Why Sleepy People Eat Junk Food

Ever wonder why 4th meal is so good?

What is it about being sleepy that makes late night snacking so irresistible?

New studies have found that a sleepy brain is less resistant to junk food cravings.

A study found that sleep deprivation changes how the brain's reward system works, especially with junk food.

Tiredness also affects complex decision-making, like deciding to not make that late night Wendy's run for a frosty, fries, spicy chicken and baconator.

The study lead said:

"The results suggest that, under restricted sleep, individuals will find unhealthy foods highly salient and rewarding, which may lead to greater consumption of those foods. Indeed, food intake data from this same study showed that participants ate more overall and consumed more fat after a period of sleep restriction compared to regular sleep. The brain imaging data provided the neurocognitive basis for those results."

So the trick to eating healthy?

Get some sleep!

There's more benefits than just better decision making.

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