Does Your Sleeping Schedule Affect Your Metabolism?
Short sleep duration could cause a weight gain of about 1 pound in two weeks. The “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” found that those who got less than the optimal amount of sleep showed an increase of about 300 hundred calories per day. Obesity is increasing in the United States due in part to changes in diet and levels of physical activity; however, these factors do not completely explain the increase in obesity.
Sleep and Metabolism
Restoring your body’s central nervous system is a main function of sleep. However, a study in the “Annals of Internal Medicine” found that the role sleep plays in your metabolism may be just as important. This study also provided further evidence that inadequate amounts of sleep may play a role in developing or aggravating existing metabolic disorders.
Ghrelin and Leptin
The hormones ghrelin and leptin play a large part in regulating your appetite. Ghrelin is a hormone found mainly in your stomach lining that increases your appetite. Leptin is a hormone in fat tissue that signals satiety. A study in the medical journal "PLOS" determined that a lack of sleep increases ghrelin and decreases leptin. This affects your metabolism by increasing your appetite as your brain fails to signal that you are full -- even when you should be satisfied -- leading to extra calories and potential weight gain.
Decreased Insulin Sensitivity
Not getting enough sleep affects your body’s sensitivity to the insulin it produces. Insulin is required to turn the food you eat into fuel for your body. After only four nights of sleep restriction, a study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" found that insulin sensitivity was decreased by 30 percent in adipocytes fat cells. When your body becomes less sensitive, or resistant, to the insulin it is producing, you are unable to properly use the food you are consuming. Decreased insulin sensitivity along with inadequate sleep create a perfect opportunity for weight gain as well as metabolic disorders like diabetes.
Too Little or Too Much
Less than seven hours of sleep per night appears to lead to weight gain, but too much sleet can also be harmful. A study from the journal "Sleep" found that sleeping longer than eight hours per night may also contribute to weight gain. People require different amounts of sleep for optimal function; however, most people need between seven to nine hours of sleep at night for optimal health.
- Sleep: The Association Between Sleep Duration and Weight Gain in Adults: A 6-Year Prospective Study from the Quebec Family Study
- Diabetes Forecast: Understanding Insulin Resistance
- Sleep Medicine Review: Metabolic Consequences of Sleep Deprivation
- PLOS: Short Sleep Duration Is Associated with Reduced Leptin, Elevated Ghrelin, and Increased Body Mass Index