When I was a child, I had a hard time eating my food in the morning as I got ready for school. I’d wake up (be dragged out of bed) at around 5 in the morning, usually on just a few hours of sleep. And no matter what wound up on my plate, I couldn’t get it down. The taste and texture would be overwhelming, and I’d literally gag. So, I’d go to school hungry.
So, I was fascinated when a friend recently referred me to a study which mentioned a connection between cortisol levels, sleep disorders, and sensory sensitivities in the morning. Incidentally, I have had delayed sleep onset my entire life, which was why I usually only had a few hours of sleep each night as a child.
The study itself is specific to autistic children (I have ASD), but some of the information I learned from it and from my friend’s previous professional research and training is broadly applicable to the general populace. For example:
Obviously, this can lead to a vicious cycle. The more sleep a person loses, the more out-of-whack their hormone levels may become.
Now, if you do have sleep disturbances and your food tastes bad in the morning, I am not asserting that you are autistic—that is not a grounds for diagnosing autism.
But I am asserting that it might be worth it to ask yourself whether you are chronically stressed, and if so, if that might be 1-robbing you of sleep, and 2-increasing sensory sensitivity.
There is no sure-fire way to cure insomnia or to reduce unpleasant tastes or textures, but you can at least take steps to try and support healthy hormone levels while fighting chronic stress:
Whatever your neurological type and whatever the sources of chronic stress are in your life, taking a proactive approach to managing your stress should help. Hopefully you will sleep more soundly and your food will taste better—but even if not, you are bound to experience some other improvements along the way. Good luck on your journey toward learning to manage your stress.
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