Sleep is an essential component for physical and mental health. It is during sleep that the body recovers from the day, repairs tissues, stores memories and regulates mood. Behavioral nutrition is a field of science that studies the relationship between food and behavior. She seeks to understand how psychological and social factors influence food choices, and how diet can affect mood, stress and sleep quality. Sleep and nutrition There is a lot of scientific evidence that shows that sleep and nutrition are closely related. When we sleep little, we tend to eat more, especially foods rich in sugar, fat and carbohydrates. This occurs because insufficient sleep alters the levels of appetite-regulating hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is a hormone that suppresses appetite, while ghrelin is a hormone that stimulates appetite. When we sleep little, leptin levels decrease and ghrelin levels increase, which leads us to eat more. Additionally, insufficient sleep can also affect the way our bodies metabolize food. When we sleep little, our body has more difficulty burning calories and stores more fat. This can lead to weight gain and obesity.