Mounting scientific evidence suggests that there is an inverse relationship between lack of sleep, weight gain. In this case, researchers at the University of Chicago recently discovered that when people don't get enough sleep, it affects circulating levels of hormones that regulate appetite and hunger. They observed that the levels of leptin, a hormone that supplies the body with a feeling of fullness, have decreased, while levels of another hormone, ghrelin, that triggers hunger increased that led many sleep deprived subjects to select foods rich in calories and carbohydrates (1). Similarly, the data collected in 1024 individuals involved in the study cohort of sleep Wisconsin found that people who have less than five hours of sleep per night suffered a sharp increase in ghrelin with a corresponding decrease in circulating leptin levels (2).
What is the meaning of these two hormones and how they regulate the appetite and weight? Leptin is secreted from white fat cells and is responsible for telling the brain that we have had enough to eat (3). If for any reason, do not receive signals from the brain to stop eating, a person will continue to consume food, even when it is no longer necessary or safe to do so. In most cases, the end result of excessive eating would be unwanted weight gain. Ghrelin, sythesized by gastric cells, is the hormone that tells us that we are hungry (4). When people sleep less, they produce more hormone (4). This actually makes sense because the metabolic and physical activity will be bigger when a person is awake, so also would increase the demand for energy. This biological adaptation was beneficial to our prehistoric ancestors during a time that harsh environmental conditions and lack of technology would be forced to work harder to hunt or gather food needed for their survival. In modern times, however, these fluctuations of these hormones is to contribute to health related issues may affect dramatically our quality and quantity of life.
Another tidbit of information that you can only be helpful. According to statistics of the national administration for road traffic, each year an estimated 200 000 car accidents are the result of drivers do not sleep enough (5). This, of course, means damage to the body and property, higher insurance premiums and legal penalties possibly unsafe driving.
With all this in mind, it becomes increasingly evident as a good night's sleep is important for our health and well being. So, what can be done to fix this problem? For information about how to visit "adjusting life, healthy and happy".
In "life adjustment, healthy and happy" you can read the conclusion of this article and learn ways you can improve your sleep habits and have a good night's sleep. "Adjusting life, healthy and happy" is dedicated to helping people lead a healthy life. Regularly publish informative and motivational articles about topics related to fitness, exercise, nutrition, anti-aging, weight loss, dental, hair and skin care and other health-related aspects.
References
1. Sleep loss boosts appetite, can encourage weight gain. ScienceDaily. 7 December 2004. sciencedaily.com/Releases/2004/12/041206210355.htm
2. sleep deprivation linked to changes in hormones of hunger. Scientific American. 7 December 2004.
3. Leptin. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/leptin
4. Ghrelin. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ghrelin
5. Sleep tight. Benefits of a good night's sleep.
Joseph Martin, b. SC. is a strength coach and site editor for resources of fitness "adjusting life, healthy and happy". When looking at the physical fitness of sound and informative "adjusting life, healthy and happy" are a great place to start.