Quantification of sleep behavior and of its impact on the cross-talk between the brain and peripheral metabolism

Abstract

Rates of obesity have been steadily increasing, along with disorders commonly associated with obesity, such as cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. Simultaneously, average sleep times have progressively decreased. Recently, evidence from both laboratory and epidemiologic studies has suggested that insufficient sleep may stimulate overeating and thus play a role in the current epidemic of obesity and diabetes. In the human sleep laboratory it is now possible to carefully control sleep behavior and study the link between sleep duration and alterations in circulating hormones involved in feeding behavior, glucose metabolism, hunger, and appetite. This article focuses on the methodologies used in experimental protocols that have examined modifications produced by sleep restriction (or extension) compared with normal sleep. The findings provide evidence that sleep restriction does indeed impair glucose metabolism and alters the cross-talk between the periphery and the brain, favoring excessive food intake. A better understanding of the adverse effects of sleep restriction on the CNS control of hunger and appetite may have important implications for public health.

Molecular Mechanisms of Sleep Homeostasis in Flies and Mammals

“…Moreover, short sleep times were also associated with lower leptin and higher ghrelin, hormonal changes that are expected to increase appetite (Taheri et al 2004). The idea that sleep disturbances are associated with aberrant glucose metabolism, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance, in summary with an increased risk for diabetes, has since been supported by several other studies (Hanlon and Van Cauter 2011;Reutrakul and Van Cauter 2014).…”

Effects of insufficient sleep on circadian rhythmicity and expression amplitude of the human blood transcriptome

“…Multiple epidemiological studies have shown that self-reported short sleep duration (defined in most studies as ≤6 h) is associated with negative health outcomes, such as all-cause mortality (2), obesity (3), diabetes (4), cardiovascular disease (5), and impaired vigilance and cognition (6). Laboratory studies, in which the sleep of healthy volunteers was restricted, typically to 4 h for 2-6 d, have identified physiological and endocrine variables that may mediate some of these effects (7), but in general the mechanisms by which insufficient sleep leads to negative health outcomes remain unidentified.…”

Does Electric Light Stimulate Cancer Development in Children?

“…Perhaps, birth weight reflects, in part, maternal circadian disruption which leads to her elevated weight. This might occur from a perturbation of metabolism from the circadian disruption (21) which could also manifest as short and disrupted sleep (25).…”