The influence of sugar-sweetened beverages on sleep

Several studies have been carried out in different branches of science to analyze the impact that the abuse of sugary drinks has on the quality of our sleep. These studies have shown a very close relationship between people who are unable to sleep for long hours of deep sleep and the consumption of drinks high in sugar and caffeine. Between this type of beverages and sleep, a kind of vicious cycle is generated, since in great part this high consumption of these products is linked to the need to obtain energy quickly to combat sleep.

That said, there is a series of actions in a circle, where we consume drinks with high sugar and caffeine content to keep us awake, but then we cannot sleep at night due to the high levels of these substances in our organism. During the development of this guide we will be analyzing some of the most important points that revolve around this topic, so that you can deepen your knowledge about the impact that these types of beverages have on the quality of your sleep.

Presence of shorter deep sleep

Among the studies that have been conducted on the effects of the impact of sugary drinks on sleep, it has been found that they cause deep sleep to be significantly shorter. The fact that deep sleep is shortened can lead to severe health complications. We must bear in mind that it is precisely during deep sleep that the human organism is able to repair itself most efficiently.

When we limit our deep sleep we are notably influencing its quality, so that even if we sleep the recommended amount of hours for our age, it is likely that we will not be able to recover the energy spent during the day.

Presence of apnea, insomnia and early awakening.

Other effects related to the consumption of sugary drinks on the quality of our sleep are the presence of apnea, insomnia and early awakening. In patients whose blood glucose levels increased, severe sleep disturbances were observed. These disorders were characterized by the appearance of short periods of time when breathing ceased, and consequently the patients reacted by abruptly interrupting their sleep due to the sensation of suffocation.

Inhibition of the orexin hormone

One of the most accurate explanations as to why sugar consumption has such an impact on the quality of our sleep is to be found in the inhibitory effect it has on the secretion of the hormone orexin. This hormone plays a f