Sleep Long Enough and You’ll Eat Less
Fri, July 30, 2010 at 02:00AM A lot of people don’t get enough sleep, for a variety of reasons. Most adults need 7 to 8 hours a night; school children need at least 9 hours. And the effects of inadequate sleep affect different aspects of health. One of them is proving to be appetite. Two European studies of sleep deprivation in volunteers have examined the effects of sleep deprivation on hunger and food intake.
The first study, from France, reports a sleep lab study in12 healthy young lean men. They were allowed to sleep for either 4 or 8 hours on consecutive nights – either from midnight to 8:0 am or 2:0 am to 6:0 am Food eaten subsequently (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) was allowed ad libitum. After the 4-hour sleep night, the men ate an average of 22% more calories the next day than they did after 8 hours’ sleep. They also reported being more hungry before breakfast and dinner.
The second study, conducted in the Netherlands, employed 9 volunteers in their 40s (5 men, 4 women). The design was similar to the first study, with sleep allowed from 11:0 pm to 7:30 am one night, and 1:0 am to 5:0 am the next. In this study, insulin resistance was measured the following day from 11:0 am to 2:30 pm. Increased insulin resistance, with its accompanying metabolic effects (reduced ability to move glucose into cells, elevated plasma fatty acid levels), were seen after sleep restriction.
Other studies have shown that limiting the duration of sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin (the ‘hungry’ hormone) and lower levels of leptin (the ‘feeling full’ hormone). It seems clear, therefore, that lack of sleep can lead to increased appetite with resultant greater consumption, and insulin resistance – all of which can increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. So, make sure you get a good night’s sleep as often as possible.
Reader Comments (1)
here we add that the French do not have a very stress free life
They are very relaxed