Poor Sleep Gives You the Munchies, Study Says

An allergist can give you a "scratch test", where they put a grid on your back and/or arms, and prick each spot with a needle dipped in various common allergens. If the spot swells like a bug bite, congrats, you're allergic! They usually* hit you once, then do another round at 10x concentration on a different spot for anything that didn't visibly, react, and then a third round for any stragglers at 100x. They rate your sensitivity on a 0-4 scale, based on the highly technical technique of measuring the size of the welt/bump.

*I've had it done twice, once on the east coast US, once on the west coast. They use local allergen blends so they can differ, and there are some candidates that they don't normally test for. I had to specifically request they test for "rat" the first time, as my fiancee had pet rats. (Turns out I was highly, HIGHLY allergic to them, but I reacted to basically everything). This does mean if you're allergic to something not in their normal regimen it will be missed.

The whole test took about 30 minutes.

After the first such test, I adopted anti-allergen mattress/pillow covers for dust mite dust and HEPA filters in the apartment, but didn't do much else. When I moved, I went from a terrible allergy place (Richmond, VA, where springtime puddles are often yellow from the pollen) to a much better one (Seattle, WA, which has molds, but far fewer pollens).

I had a pretty terrible time after the move though, and after a visit to another allergist I got on allergy shots (my research said that Europe will do doses under the tongue, but the US doesn't). Surprisingly, both allergists (Richmond and Seattle) were reluctant to put me on allergy shots, as if the cost was prohibitive ($1k-$2k/year without insurance. I've switch insurances a few times and the costs have been from fully covered to ~$15/mo) but I find happiness to be worth it. The shots themselves are, surprisingly, actually diluted doses of the allergen, ramping up the concentration. I like to joke I'm becoming immune to iocane powder.

Switching coasts messed up my progress, and I'm still working on controlling my weight, but then again, I still have multiple cats despite being allergic to them (my now-wife's happiness factors in, but she totally got rid of the rats). I have swing periods - I tend to lose weight in the spring/summer, then develop a cough that leads to seasonal bronchitis (= more drainage) that lasts 3-4 months in the fall/winter (had pneumonia once - I don't recommend it.) I recently discovered that, um, recently legalized edible substances in seattle taken before bed have prevented this months-long cough, so I'm working to see what happens this year.

Psychologically, though, the impact has been huge. I went from being a homebody that was basically tired all the time to someone that, though still lazy, will actually go out and do things and be willing to endure some exercise and effort. I snacked often, and craved sugar. (I suspect the latter was for the feeling of energy - I had already cut caffeine from my diet to try and improve the quality of my sleep). Now I still enjoy a soda now and then but water is fine and my portion sizes have gone down. The last few years, whenever the annual cough came around I started to get really exhausted by month 2, and it made me very resigned over the season. This year I avoided that and I can definitely feel the psychological benefits of not being worn down like that, and expect that I'll be losing more weight and being healthier over the next few months, but time will tell.

When I first went (with the rats), I had spent 6 months in a funk. It had gotten to the point where I would simply sleep through my alarm clock, and when I was awake I was extremely groggy. The effect was gradual, so I didn't really realize something environmental had changed until I compared myself then to myself months prior.

I've avoided going to a sleep therapist because I suspect they'll simply say "Sleep apnea" and call it a day without examining the real reason, but as soon as I'm out of other variables to tinker with that will be my next stop. As it is, I'm currently on allergy shots (administered in their office weekly, requiring 30 mins for them to make sure I don't have complications, until I hit maintenance levels, then it's monthly), I take two benadryl and an allegra before bed, and recently added a cookie to that mix. I also have a nasal thing, though I've not had that for the past 6 months due to insurance complications.

The hardest part at this point is controlling my environment when I'm not in control of it. I have a wife, cats, and my mother currently living with us. I can't just decide to eat only when I'm hungry (I am the main cook in the family), I can't decide how late to stay up, and I can't control the accumulation of stuff (and therefore dust). [Well, that's the "hardest" part since I've already decided to not try and become a gym nut, so I'm avoiding the parts that are hard because of me :)]

Hope that offered some of the detail you were looking for.

> Except something like 60% of sleep apnea sufferers in the US will never get diagnosed. I used to be one of those people and its only after I switched doctors out of desperation that I was diagnosed.

And even if you are diagnosed, there is not always a lot you can do about it. I was diagnosed with central sleep apnea about a year ago, and tried BiPAP for about six months. It made absolutely no difference to my sleep.

I think you're overblowing this. Sleep is not that complex of an issue. Many people get good sleep nowadays and it's due to maintaining a sleeping schedule and keeping your body healthy. However you're correct in the fact that many Americans fail at this.

They don't fail because they value activities and productivity over sleep, they fail because of a lack of self respect required to do good by their body. Oftentimes this leads towards other unhealthy habits such as overeating and drug use. The number one cause of sleep apnea? Being overweight. Along with that many people can't sleep without some form of drug (alcohol or otherwise).

A person can easily interact and thrive in this society without causing detriment to their health and/or sleep.

Personally, I take care of this problem by filling my 64oz Hydro Flask [1] at the beginning of the work day. As long as I finish it all by the end of the day, I'll have satisfied the 8-by-8 water rule.

Though the rule does not seem to be backed by any scientific foundation, I anecdotally feel better when I do follow the rule. It's easy to remember and it yields good results.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Hydro-Flask-Insulated-Stainless-64-Oun...

You're right. No research has shown that, for otherwise healthy people, drinking water beyond what your body tells you to drink has any health effects. Hydration also does not have to come from water to be effective. The 8 cups a day rule is a myth. (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/upshot/no-you-do-not-have-..., links to research in the article)

Don't overthink it. Have water available at your desk. When it's empty, refill it.

Make it easy to drink automatically. Your body knows when it feels like having a sip, if that doesn't involve breaking your mental flow, you will have the sip. Simple as that.

There's a world of difference between being dehydrated and a bit thirsty. Try going to the beach for a day and forgetting to bring any water. You'll know the difference in a few hours.

The fun part is that you'll feel tired all day and all of next day too. I've done this way too often in various combinations (roadtrips, plane flights, marathon runs, surfing and forgetting to bring water, etc.)

Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy[1]. Including water (water overdosis exists).

A couple guys went into coma in a nearby Buddhist temple a few years ago. A dozen friends planned a "body cleaning weekend" where they fasted and drank lots of water. They got a water overdose, a condition known as hiponatremia[2] (literally "low sodium" in the blood plasma). This condition is pretty nasty, because it messes with osmosis.

So kids, drink your water but eat a little salt as well.

[1] http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/paracelsus.html [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia

Kidney stones. Never again!

chishaku might mean: drink just water, rather than beverages that contain water.

Congrats on your twins! ...my condolences regarding your free/down time.

Congratulations!

Your first kids? I have 2 little girls and I find they help me focus the time I have to be productive. Having said that, I had a friend with twins and every time I saw her she looked like she hadn't slept in days. "Relentless" was her description. Good luck :-)

You may well need the extra calories :/... I wonder if our bodies have evolved with sleep deprevation most likely being due to kids, leading to this connection.

Thanks for breaking that down so well.

and based on diet and the amount of food to be consumed, this could lead the person to feel a bit sleepy to take a quick nap/siesta just to recover and feel refreshed again and replenishing blood sugar levels in the process.

The nature knows how to get its way with all of us =)

By that logic, we should sleep instead of eating breakfast.

Where are you getting this? This doesn't seem accurate. Can you cite some references to this? What do you mean by preparing to convert? What specifically is there more / less of that makes it easier to convert fat / food into blood sugar.

Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose whenever they are present in the body. The liver does this through the process of glycolysis. It doesn't have anything to do with sleep. In fact, when people are sleeping they are fasting for about 8 hours (hence break-fast). When glucose is present in the blood stream insulin is released to store the energy in the cells. Insulin also inhibits fat release.

The low energy crash you are referring to is only present in people who have heavy carb diets. Under a healthy individual 2 pathways are used to produce energy in the absence of food.

Gluconeogenesis converts protein and a little bit of fat into glucose. The amounts are usually pretty minimal though.

Ketogenesis is when the body converts fat to ketones which the body consumes for energy instead of glucose.

For people who are diabetic, overweight, or normally eat carb heavy diets the ketogenic pathway is impaired and so they feel low energy.

People who have properly functioning ketogenic pathways don't really experience the low energy state you are referring to unless it is the food comma after a carb heavy meal when insulin has overreacted.

When insulin is low and there are ketones present in the body people will not feel low energy.

Why have you had so many such workouts? Military?

Maybe this was intended as a joke, but the sad truth is that more often that not, sometimes people consider this option. I myself came relatively close to committing suicide, but was pulled out of this vicious cycle by a friend.

A lot of people develop this depression this way, or they became this way because of depression. It's concerning that people often underestimate depression and consider it a synonym for sadness or melancholy. Depression is—for the sake of simplification—an emotional and mental cancer.

I am trying (not succeeding yet) to do the same

No, it seems I reached exactly to the right depth. Clarifying the extent of your ignorance doesn't make it something other than ignorance. No one is required to explain their mindset to you, and your opinion on it is not really productive.

Well, the title does say "you"...

That's true but it's also true that studies like this one, which are true on average of the population, are often not true for each individual. It's worth pointing out that it doesn't apply to everyone.

Equally severe a fallacy to take population generalizations and impose them on an individual.

This strategy becomes a lot less viable if you have children.

I don't get people who will actively lose sleep to do work, but once you have kids your ability to control how much sleep you get leaves your hands somewhat.

Its less brutal now he's older and better able to sleep through the night, but I've had weeks where I was working normal hours and getting 3-4 hours of broken sleep a night, somehow the body adapts to it. I wouldn't say I was doing my best work during that time, but I was definitely more productive than I'd expected to be.

Some people have varying degrees of insomnia.

Trust me, I always want to get a full night of sleep but I've learned that sometimes it's not even worth bothering until 2-3 am when my mind lets go.

Also, anecdotally, I agree with the munchies conclusion.

I sleep 5 hours a night.

Even with flexible working hours, I still come to work in the early morning.

I work all day and then commute back home. I then do the chores and make supper.

By the time I am done with all that stuff, it's already 8PM or 9PM. I then get together with some night owls friends for a few beers, read all night, watch a movie or a tv show, or spend the night awake talking with my signifiant other (who is also a night owl).

If I have a really entertaining night, I might drop to 3 hours of sleep.

I don't have an energy problem and am wide awake. That being said, I have been living that way for as long as I can remember. I take naps when I do get tired.

For a lot of people, sleep isn't just something you can turn on at will.

I'd love to get 8 hours a night, and I definitely would make time for it. But I can't.

Enjoy your good sleep health!

Maybe you should find out, instead of talking about how you don't have this problem and therefore don't understand it.

What's next? "I don't understand how people don't have money"?

Easier said than done. I've had nights where I've been awake for 20 hours already, been feeling tired at about 10PM, taken a combination of prescribed medications that can cause drowsiness (tamazepam/tramadol/promethazine), and still laid awake until 6AM or so. I'd love to consistently get 6-8 hours sleep, but sometimes it just doesn't work for me.

Humans are not rational creatures. We all know what needs to be done to become rich and be healthy but there are still tons of poor and obese people. Knowledge is different from taking action.