Lack of Sleep & Obesity

Arkhos

Woohoo for sleeping the day away!!! :laugh:

Just sharing:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9892792/Lack-of-sleep-switches-off-genes.html

Lack of sleep 'switches off' genes
One week of bad sleep can "switch off" hundreds of genes and raise the risk of a host of illnesses including obesity and heart disease, scientists claim.

:yawn:

Getting fewer than six hours' sleep per night deactivates genes which play a key role in the body's constant process of self-repair and replenishment, according to a new study.

Our bodies depend on genes to produce a constant supply of proteins which are used to replace or repair damaged tissue, but after a week of sleep deprivation some of these stopped working.

The findings suggest that chronic lack of sleep could prevent the body from fully replenishing itself and raise the risk of a host of diseases, researchers said.

Scientists from Surrey University divided 26 volunteers into two groups, one of which slept for less than six hours per night for an entire week, and one which slept for ten hours per night.

At the end of the week each group was kept awake for 40 hours and donated blood samples, which were studied to examine the effects of their sleep regimes.

The week of sleep deprivation was found to have altered the function of 711 genes, including some involved in metabolism, inflammation, immunity and stress.

Inadequate sleep also interfered with genes which are designed to become more or less active at certain points in the day, by throwing off the body's 24-hour internal clock.

Although a week's normal sleep was enough to restore the affected genes to their normal pattern, researchers said that prolonged periods of sleeplessness could lead to serious health problems including obesity and heart disease.

Studies have also shown a lack of sleep can lead to cognitive impairment, for example limiting our ability to drive a car safely.

Prof Colin Smith, one of the authors of the new paper, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, said: "This is only a week of sleep restriction and it is only five and a half or six hours a night. Many people have that amount of sleep for weeks, months and maybe even years so we have no idea how much worse it might be.

"If these processes continue to be disrupted, you could see how you are going to get impairment of organs, tissues, heart disease, obesity, diabetes. If you are not able to replenish cells and tissues that are damaged then you are going to suffer permanent ill health."

nuevonabieu

I learned this years ago. I used to always have friends ask why I wasn't smaller because of how I ate and worked out. I was discouraging them, lol. (if she's doing all that working out and eating right and not losing, heck I can stay this way). I'm always on the go, well used to be. I worked 2 full time jobs at one point and was a full time student, yes all at the same time. When I worked midnights and evenings, I hardly ever slept. I took micro-naps, give me 10 minutes and I'm gone. I'm trying to work on that now. I get up around 6am everyday including weekends in an attempt to set my body. Problem is, that darn TV, but I'm getting in bed much earlier now. I'm also an easy stresser. Stress and no sleep has been my enemy for years. I know once I have them tackled, the weight would come off more. I'm working on one for now; sleep

XXXMinnieXXX

This is me totally screwed then! Lol. It does effect me psychologically massively, which can be very distressing. Love how your enjoying learning about weight loss and the body... I do too :-)

Zara

benol1

I've been meaning to start a thread on the impact of sleeping patterns on weight retention/gain/loss.
Recently I read research which indicated that sleep conditions hormones which switch on and off feelings of hunger/satiation.
I'm glad someone started the thread!