Stress during the workday can lead to overeating and unhealthy food choices, but there can be a buffer to this harmful pattern. A good night's sleep may serve as a protective factor between stress at work and unhealthy eating in the evening, a new study shows.
The survey involved two studies of a total of 235 workers in China. One study looked at information technology workers who regularly experience high workloads and felt that there is never enough time in a workday. The second study involved call center employees who often deal with rude and demanding customers. In both cases, stress from the workday was associated with negative mood in employees at work, which in turn was linked to unhealthy eating in the evening. However, another important finding showed how sleep helped people cope with their stressful eating after work. If the employees slept earlier the night before, they tended to eat better if they were stressed the next day.
