Author(s)

Xuan Ma, Chengcheng Yang, Canglin Yao

Corresponding Author

Xuan Ma

ABSTRACT

During sleep, growth hormones leptin and ghrelin are adjusted. Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones that are closely related to obesity by affecting food intake: leptin decreases appetite, while ghrelin increase appetite. Circadian rhythm also contributes indirectly to obesity. Many research results have shown a negative correlation between sleep duration and BMI observed in females and males, from adults to children. Researchers have utilized sleep deprivation, blood test, surveys and measures of food intake to explain such correlation. Many of them concluded that sleep deprivation could decrease leptin level and increase ghrelin level, resulting in more food intake, making people more prone to obesity. Also, extra wake time and tiredness created by sleep deprivation could lead people to consume more food while expending less energy. Moreover, obesity could affect sleep duration by contributing to sleep disorders like Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OPA), making this correlation more dramatic.

KEYWORDS

Sleep duration, obesity, growth hormone, food intake