Wearing yourself to the bone

When we think of someone losing sleep, we often think of them getting more thin and gaunt. In fact, the reverse may be true.

The recent rise in obesity may be partly due to the reduced amount of time we spend asleep, according to new research from the University of Bristol, UK. Dr Shahrad Taheri from Bristol University, and colleagues in the United States, examined the role of two key hormones that are involved in regulating appetite — ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin increases feelings of hunger while leptin acts to suppress appetite.

People who habitually slept for 5 hours were found to have 15% more ghrelin than those who slept for 8 hours. They were also found to have 15% less leptin. These hormonal changes may cause increased feelings of hunger, leading to a foraging in the fridge for food.

The full study article is here.

(Posted by CronDave, story via BoingBoing)