When traveling, there are many obstacles to face, especially if traveling for business. Jet lag, navigation, traffic, and transportation can affect travelers' eating, sleeping, and productivity. Frequent travelers may be tempted to sleep more and skip breakfast when on the road, even if the hotel includes breakfast. However, here are a few reasons why you shouldn't skip this important meal.

Why Should You Eat Breakfast?

1. Fuels the Rest of Your Day

It is hard to get those five recommended servings of fruit and vegetables. Skipping breakfast may mean that you are depriving yourself of nutrients that nourish and fuel your body for the rest of the day. If you are skipping a healthy, hot breakfast, you will likely begin to crave unhealthy convenience foods to give you a quick boost of energy. Unless you are going to eat a larger than average lunch and dinner that day, you likely won't get all the servings that you need from those two meals alone. Eating a breakfast that includes protein, fiber, and healthy fat can help you maintain your nutritional needs. 

2. Helps You Have a Better Day   

Getting nutrients early helps with mood, memory, and cognitive function. During a good night's sleep, the brain needs glucose. If the liver has not stored enough glucose for the amount of sleep, it reverts to cortisol, a hormone often nicknamed the "stress hormone." Not eating breakfast can cause these cortisol levels to rise to maintain glucose, which can cause you to be hungrier throughout the day. 

Other functions, such as memory, can decrease when the body goes into fasting mode, which may be why you feel brain fog and lethargy early in the morning. Not eating when you wake up may also lead to blood sugar dips and spikes. To have a better day and perform better throughout, consider eating the breakfast provided by the hotel. 

3. Boosts Your Metabolism

All bodies are different, but there is evidence that eating breakfast can boost metabolism for many. Metabolism needs fuel to burn or it will fizzle out. Food fuels your metabolism. Providing your body with calories in the morning can help it metabolize, and maybe even burn, more calories throughout the day. 

If you are looking for a hotel that is suited for business or pleasure travel, look no further than Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Clarksville, AR. Nestled in the Ozarks, this clean hotel offers many conveniences and amenities, including a fitness center and complimentary hot breakfast. For more information on their ratings or to schedule a stay, visit the website or call (479) 705-7600 today.