According to a new study, replacing sugar and saturated fat with vegetables can help reduce the impact of sleep deprivation.

Share on Pinterest Replacing chips with carrots or apples can reduce feelings of fatigue.

When we are exhausted but need to stay awake, many of us reach for a sugary snack.

However, it is likely the more healthful options that can help fight the fatigue, suggests a recent study. Its findings now appear in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.

It is important to point out that it is not a lack of self-control that results in people choosing unhealthful foods over healthful ones.

Rather, when a person has not had enough sleep, it affects their decision-making skills, leading to reduced willpower and a tendency to opt for a quick high in the form of sugar.

Findings from a 2019 study appearing in the Journal of Neuroscience suggest that not only are tired people more likely to want unhealthful food, but they are also more likely to spend more money on buying snacks.

Impaired brain functioning does not just result in a sugar craving, however; it also leads to cravings for anything high in fat, saturated fat, or sodium.

For many people, this may only happen occasionally. However, for people whose jobs involve long stretches of tiredness, reaching for unhealthful snacks can quickly become a regular occurrence.