Sleep and Weight: How sleep deprivation affects food intake
Happy World Sleep Day!
The fast-growing economic demands of the 21st century have resulted in a new lifestyle culture for many. A 24/7 work culture, packed schedules and changing lifestyles mean that many people deprioritise their health. This can result in loss of sleep and may lead to weight gain and other adverse health consequences.
Research suggests that these factors themselves are interlinked: sleep deprivation may be second only to diet as a contributing factor for weight gain in individuals of all ages.
How are sleep and weight linked?
The body reacts to external changes by altering metabolic and neurological mechanisms. When sleeping time is reduced, studies show that two essential hormones for food intake regulation are affected: Leptin levels reduce by 26% and Ghrelin levels reduce by 28% (9). This may indicate a reason for increased appetite in studied individuals (10).
Furthermore, evidence argues that this leads to heightened cortisol quantities in the last third of the day caused by insulin reacting lethargically to glucose disposal (8). This means that sleep deprivation may contribute to an imbalanced autonomic nervous system leading to obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes (7).
Sleep deprivation may also lead to increased susceptibility to high-calorie food. Research has shown alterations to brain activity in response to visual food advertisements in those who are sleep deprived (2). The prominently active brain areas are shown to be responsible for initiating a feeling of reward as well as controlling subconscious impulses – this may explain the internal vicious battle between temptation and rationality that individuals have reported to experience.
What are the consequences?
A Nurses’ Health cohort study lasting over a period of 16 years found significant rises of obesity rates (6). Participants in the study were shown to have a 32% higher chance of gaining 15 kilograms in sleep-deprived circumstances compared to those following a normal sleeping schedule. Similarly, children aged 5-10 years were associated with choosing a high-fat and calorie-dense diet when sleep-deprived over a nutrient-dense, plant food-rich diet linked to longer sleep durations (5). This behavioural tendency resulted in an estimated consumption of 300 additional calories per day in both men and women (4).
Additionally, individuals’ mental health and motivation appear to be affected by sleep loss, causing reduced physical activity. A recent study on motivation points out that sleep curtailment decreases the desire for physical and social activities while simultaneously enlarging the urge for sleep and isolation (1). Moreover, a lack of sleep reduces the functionality of the prefrontal cortex linked to decision-making, emotional processing and anxiety (3). This evidence is similarly depicted in depressed individuals explaining the desire to be isolated.
Conclusion
Sleep curtailment can lead to increased sedentary behaviour and overeating. Sleep health is an essential preventive measure for weight gain and other adverse health consequences.
References:
(1) AXELSSON, J., INGRE, M., KECKLUND, G., LEKANDER, M., WRIGHT JR, K.P., and SUNDELIN, T. (2020) ‘Sleepiness as motivation: a potential mechanism for how sleep deprivation affects behavior. ‘Sleep, 43 (6). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz291
(2) DEMOS, K.E., SWEET, L.H., HART, C.N., MCCAFFERY, J.M., WILLIAMS, S.E., MAILLOUX, K.A., TRAUTVETTER, J., OWENS, M.M., and WING, R.R. (2017) ‘The Effects of Experimental Manipulation of Sleep Duration on Neural Response to Food Cues.’ Sleep, 40 (11). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsx125
(3) KAHN-GREENE, E.T., KILLGORE, D.B., KAMIMORI, G.H., BALKIN, T.J., and KILLGORE, W.D.S. (2007) ‘The effects of sleep deprivation on symptoms of psychopathology in healthy adults.’ Sleep Medicine, 8(3), pp. 215–221. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2006.08.007
(4) KILLGORE, W.D.S., SCHWAB, Z.J., WEBER, M., KIPMAN, M., DELDONNO, S.R., WEINER, M.R., and RAUCH, S.L. (2013) ‘Daytime sleepiness affects prefrontal regulation of food intake.’ NeuroImage, 71, pp. 216–223. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.01.018
(5) MOREIRA, P., SANTOS, S., PADRÃO, P., CORDEIRO, T., BESSA, M., VALENTE, H., BARROS, R., TEIXEIRA, V., MITCHELL, V., LOPES, C., and MOREIRA, A. (2010) ‘Food Patterns According to Sociodemographics, Physical Activity, Sleeping and Obesity in Portuguese Children.’ International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 7(3), pp. 1121-38. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph7031121
(6) PATEL, S.R., MALHOTRA, A., WHITE, D.P., GOTTLIEB, D.J., and HU, F.B. (2006) ‘Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women.’ American Journal of Epidemiology, 164 (10), pp. 947–954. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwj280
(7) REAVEN, G.M., LITHELL, H., and LANDSBERG, L. (1996) ‘Hypertension and associated metabolic abnormalities - The role of insulin resistance and the sympathoadrenal system.’ New England Journal of Medicine, 334 (6), pp. 374–381. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199602083340607
(8) SPIEGEL, K., LEPROULT, R., and VAN CAUTER, E. (1999) ‘Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function.’ The Lancet, 354 (9188), pp. 1435–1439. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(99)01376-8
(9) SPIEGEL, K., LEPROULT, R., L’HERMITE-BALÉRIAUX, M., COPINSCHI, G., PENEV, P.D., and VAN CAUTER, E. (2004) ‘Leptin Levels Are Dependent on Sleep Duration: Relationships with Sympathovagal Balance, Carbohydrate Regulation, Cortisol, and Thyrotropin.’ The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 89 (11), pp. 5762–5771. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2004-1003
(10) SPIEGEL, K., TASALI, E., PENEV, P., and CAUTER, E. VAN (2004) ‘Brief Communication: Sleep Curtailment in Healthy Young Men Is Associated with Decreased Leptin Levels, Elevated Ghrelin Levels, and Increased Hunger and Appetite.’ Annals of Internal Medicine, 141 (11), pp. 846–850. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-141-11-200412070-00008