It’s 3pm and you didn’t sleep well last night. Maybe you tossed and turned, or you stayed up too late scrolling on your phone. Now, you’re sitting at your desk, fighting off a slump, and thinking about that candy bowl in the breakroom. You grab a handful of jelly beans, hoping it’ll power you through. And it works … for about 30 minutes. Then comes the crash. You’re dragging for the rest of the day, eager for bedtime. But once you finally get into bed, you can’t seem to fall asleep—or find you’re waking up several times in the night.
As a dietitian, I see this pattern all the time. Sleep and diet are deeply intertwined, each affecting the other, and trapping you in a cycle of poor sleep and sugar cravings.
Why you crave sugar when tired
When you’re sleep deprived, ghrelin, your hunger hormone, ramps up, while leptin, the hormone that tells you that you’re full, dips. Essentially, a lack of sleep throws off your hunger and fullness cues. Your body also starts looking for quick energy when tired. This means your brain craves foods that deliver fast, easily accessible fuel—aka sugar.
Additionally, a tired brain is less equipped to make healthy decisions. So instead of reaching for something with staying power, like eggs or a smoothie, you go for the sugary coffee drink or a muffin.
But high sugar foods don’t provide lasting energy. Instead, they spike your blood sugar fast and then drop it, leaving you more tired and craving even more sugar.
Why your sugar-fueled self can’t sleep
High sugar intake is associated with poor sleep quality, likely due to blood sugar dysregulation. High-sugar diets are also tied to inflammation, which can exacerbate sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea.
