Lack of enough sleep increases the risk of obesity through a combination of effects on energy metabolism. A study released at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Lisbon looks at how sleep disorders can predispose us to overweight, affecting our body's appetite and response to food and exercise.

Nowadays, more and more people are reporting systemically reduced quality of sleep. Studies have found a link between sleep deprivation and overweight. The main reason for the increased risk of obesity due to sleep disorders may be related to changes in appetite, metabolism, motivation, physical activity, or a combination of these and other factors.

Dr. Christian Benedict of the University of Uppsala, Sweden and his team have conducted a number of studies to investigate how sleep loss may affect energy metabolism.

Behavioral data revealed that healthy, sleep-deprived people prefer larger portions of food, exhibit increased impulsive eating habits, enjoy eating more and use less energy.

Physiological studies have shown that sleep loss shifts the hormonal balance. Hormones that create a feeling of satiety, such as GLP-1, are replaced by those that promote a sense of hunger, such as ghrelin. Restricting sleep also increases levels of endocannabinoids known to have an appetite-stimulating effect.

The more in-depth work of Dr. Benedict's team concludes that acute sleep loss alters the balance of gut bacteria, which is very important for maintaining a healthy metabolism.

Dr. Christian Benedict notes, “Since perturbed sleep is such a common feature of modern life, these studies show it is no surprise that metabolic disorders, such as obesity are also on the rise.“ „It may also be concluded that improving sleep could be a promising lifestyle intervention to reduce the risk of future weight gain."

My Body Creator determines the minimum and maximum amount of sleep according to the desired goal and the provided data when creating individual nutrition and training programs. Complying with the suggested sleeping time is a crucial factor for achieving optimal results.

References:

European Society of Endocrinology. "Sleep loss affects your waistline." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 May 2017.