Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

Losing sleep can lead to more extra pounds

If you have sleep issues or weight issues, you should read this.

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
August 23, 2018
in Genetics, Health, News, Science

Want to shed a few extra pounds? Here’s an idea, and it’s simple enough: try sleeping a bit more.

The link between sleep and obesity is not new — it’s been reported several times by researchers. A 2012 study found that lack of sleep can impact appetite regulation and impair glucose metabolism, while a 2011 review of studies found substantial evidence linking obesity and a lack of sleep. However, the exact nature of this link has not been thoroughly explained. A new study presents some of the most compelling evidence to date, showing that a lack of sleep encourages the body to store more fat, altering the body’s metabolism and an essential DNA function.

“Chronic sleep loss, social jet lag, and shift work—widespread in our modern 24/7 societies—are associated with an increased risk of numerous metabolic pathologies, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes,” researchers explain in the new study. “Even minor weekly shifts in sleep timing, or as few as five consecutive nights of short sleep, have been associated with an increased risk of weight gain in healthy humans.”

Jonathan Cedernaes, a circadian researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden and lead author of the study says that sleep has an “irreplaceable” function, it’s not just to conserve energy and replenish our stamina. Yet many people tend to consider it an expendable resource — and this can have massive consequences.

Cedernaes and colleagues recruited 15 volunteers, who attended two testing sessions: once after a normal night’s sleep, and once after staying up all night. Biopsies and samples of fat, muscle tissue, and blood were also taken, and participants underwent a separate electroencephalography (EEG) and were asked to also complete sleep, food, and activity diaries as part of their screening.

The most significant change researchers note is in a gene activity called DNA methylation. The change was linked to cells increasing their tendency to absorb lipids, boosting the body’s ability to store fats. Furthermore, the participants’ muscle cells contained lower levels of structural proteins after a lack of sleep, suggesting a reduced ability to build and maintain muscles.

Lastly, scientists also report an increase in inflammation in the body after sleep deprivation, a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, among others.

While previous studies have suggested a connection between obesity and sleep deprivation, this link was hard to separate from other lifestyle changes. Now, researchers have shown a physical mechanism that is responsible (or at the very least partially responsible) for this connection.

It should be said that the study featured a very small sample size and only analyzed a brief moment in the life of the participants. For the future, researchers call for more investigations to see what the effects of sustained sleep deprivation are on a wider segment of the population. But for now, it’s safe to say that sleep is not something you should be missing out on.

The study has been published in Science Magazine.

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. Our sense of smell might be connected to our extra pounds — in more ways than one
  2. Just one extra hour of sleep can help overweight people eat less
  3. Two-thirds of college students are struggling with lack of sleep, poor sleep quality
  4. Elite sleep genes allow lucky few to get full night’s sleep in just 4 hours
  5. A milk peptide could lead us to new, non-addictive sleep medication
Tags: obesitysleepWeight

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW