Many people do not have breakfast when they wake up, but a lack of appetite in the morning can hide chronic stress.
- Specialists advise not to consume caffeine before having had breakfast in order to promote the regulation of adrenaline and cortisol.
- “Skipping breakfast can be a problem if you have to take morning medications that require eating at the same time.”
After getting out of bed, some go straight to their kitchen to prepare their breakfast and recharge their batteries. Others are unable to eat anything in the morning. It is often said that this lack of appetite upon waking is an eating habit. But according to nutritionist Cara Rose, the main reason you don’t feel hungry after getting up has to do with lifestyle.
Stress can ‘delay or reduce appetite hormones’
“Waking up with no appetite could mean you’re in the grip of cortisol, which acts like a stress hormone. When we sleep, our bodies are in a nocturnal fasting phase where they have to use the stores of glucose stored in the liver. to keep blood sugar levels in balance. This only lasts about eight hours, and once these stores are depleted, our adrenal glands release hormones such as cortisol, which help manipulate blood sugar to keep us going. the shot”, explained the specialist to the magazine Stylist UK.
According to nutrition coach Natalie Burrows, stress can “delay or reduce appetite hormones”, especially if it is chronic stress. “Cortisol helps us get up and start the day, but ironically chronic stress (where there has been a high demand for cortisol for an extended period of time) can lead to reduced cortisol production in the morning, which can impact appetite and energy levels.”
Lack of appetite on waking: higher levels of melatonin in question
According to experts, chronic stress is not the only factor that prevents us from having breakfast. “Reduced morning appetite may also signal higher levels of melatonin for a longer period of time. (…) Melatonin is the hormone of sleep and it works in an alternative ‘lag pattern’ to that of cortisol. When we wake up, it can be an hour or two before melatonin is at a low enough level that we feel good about eating and drinking.” explained Natalie Burrows. She added that melatonin may cause nausea upon waking.