Sleep Disorders

Too little sleep leads to too much snacking

A recent study presented at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies suggests that restrictions on and lack of sleep lead to increased consumption of calories from snack foods. This increased snacking can contribute to an increased risk becoming overweight or obese.

The study was headed by Plamen Penev, MD, PhD, of the University of Chicago. He and his colleagues examined 11 healthy subjects who each participated in two 14-day studies, taken at random times and separated by at least three months. The studies were done in the laboratory, allowing subjects either five and a half or eight and a half hours of sleep and food intake as desired.

According to the study, when subjects were restricted to five and a half hours of sleep, they consumed a greater percentage of their daily calorie intake from snacks. They also increased their consumption of carbohydrates relative to the eight and a half hour sleepers.

When allowed five and a half hours of sleep, the subjects consumed an average of 1,086 calories a day from snacking. When given eight and a half hours of sleep, the subjects only consumed 866 calories per day from snacking.

Penev and his colleagues concluded that when a subject is exposed to an environment with unlimited food access, the subject changes his decision making process regarding when to eat and this may contribute to the increased consumption of carbohydrate-rich snacks.

Although both groups consumed roughly the same amount of calories overall, and experienced similar weight gain, the study only proceeded for a few weeks. If it had been carried out further, greater differences may have surfaced between the two groups.

The American Association of Sleep Medicine suggests that adults give themselves at least seven to eight hours of sleep nightly to maintain health and mental clarity.