When the dark season comes, sweet cravings can rise and there are many reasons for that

In the middle of the darkest winter, many things affect endurance and appetite.

1. SLEEP When you’re tired, you can’t think about what to eat. Nuutune’s brain tries to stay functional with the help of carbohydrates. The secretion of the hunger hormone ghrelin also increases, so it’s no wonder if you have cravings. Nutrition also affects sleep. Avoid fatty, fried foods, alcohol, sugary foods, coffee, chocolate, energy and cola drinks in the evenings.
2. APEA Mood When the mood is gloomy, some people lose their appetite, others get a chocolate craving. Research has shown that only the kind of chocolate you really like can lift your mood. So you don’t have to feel guilty about eating chocolate. Research shows that folate deficiency is linked to depression. You can get folate from green vegetables, such as cabbage.
3. GHOST FATIGUE In the dark season, it is typical to crave carbohydrates and resort to delicacies. Sweets are refreshing for a while, but blood sugar drops as quickly as it rose and you feel even more tired. When you invest in regular mealtimes, sweet cravings won’t incite too much. It is natural that the weight varies a little depending on the season, it can increase a little in the winter and drop in the summer.
4. INABILITY If outdoor activities and exercise are reduced when it is dark and slippery, energy consumption decreases. Appetite may also decrease. On the other hand, the food can start spinning in the mind, and the refrigerator is a short distance away. Every step refreshes the metabolism, so the most important thing is not the amount: daily exercise during daylight hours, arrange a jogging date, try a new sport or sign up for a course.
5. STRESS Short-term stress causes some people to have a strong need to eat, while others lose their appetite. When stressed, we act on automatic control: stubborn patterns of action are emphasized. To relieve stress, you should try many ways that work: listen to your favorite music, meet friends, get out into nature, get enough sleep.

Nutrition researcher Anu Joki, University of Helsinki, as an expert.

This article has appeared in Hyvä terives magazine. As a subscriber, you can read all issues free of charge from the digilehdet.fi service.