Abstract
Acute partial sleep deprivation increases plasma concentrations of ghrelin and decreases those of leptin. The objective was to observe modifications in energy intake and physical activity after acute partial sleep deprivation in healthy men. Twelve men [age: 22 +/- 3 y; body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 22.30 +/- 1.83] completed a randomized 2-condition crossover study. During the first night of each 48-h session, subjects had either approximately 8 h (from midnight to 0800) or approximately 4 h (from 0200 to 0600) of sleep. All foods consumed subsequently (jam on buttered toast for breakfast, buffet for lunch, and a free menu for dinner) were eaten ad libitum. Physical activity was recorded by an actimeter. Feelings of hunger, perceived pleasantness of the foods, desire to eat some foods, and sensation of sleepiness were also evaluated. In comparison with the 8-h sleep session, subjects consumed 559 +/- 617 kcal (ie, 22%) more energy on the day after sleep restriction (P < 0.01), and preprandial hunger was higher before breakfast (P < 0.001) and dinner (P < 0.05). No change in the perceived pleasantness of the foods or in the desire to eat the foods was observed. Physical activity from 1215 to 2015 was higher after sleep restriction than after 8 h of sleep (P < 0.01), even though the sensation of sleepiness was more marked (P < 0.01). One night of reduced sleep subsequently increased food intake and, to a lesser extent, estimated physical activity-related energy expenditure in healthy men. These experimental results, if confirmed by long-term energy balance measurements, suggest that sleep restriction could be a factor that promotes obesity. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00986492.
Highlights
Today, obesity is considered a major disease worldwide and is sometimes regarded as a true “epidemic” [1]
During night 1, as expected, sleep duration was shorter in the Sleep-Restriction Session (SRS) than in the Normal-Sleep Session (NSS): it was 3 h 46 6 14 min and 7 h 14 6 40 min according to the actimeters and 3 h 44 6 11 min and 7 h 14 6 36 min according to the subjects’ estimations (P, 0.001 for both)
The main results of the present study, conducted in normalweight men who spent 31 h during the 48 h of measurement in free-living conditions, indicate that acute partial sleep deprivation subsequently increases food intake, preprandial hunger at breakfast and dinner, and estimated physical activity–related energy expenditure. These results cannot be attributed to 24-h pretreatment conditions because food intake, sleep duration during the night preceding the experimental sessions, and estimated energy expenditure were very similar in the 2 sessions (,4%,1%, and,3%, respectively)
Summary
Obesity is considered a major disease worldwide and is sometimes regarded as a true “epidemic” [1]. Several cross-sectional or prospective epidemiologic studies have observed a negative correlation between body mass index and sleep duration As an example, this correlation was reported in Spain [8], France [9], Japan [10], and the United States [11,12,13]. Conclusions: One night of reduced sleep subsequently increased food intake and, to a lesser extent, estimated physical activity–related energy expenditure in healthy men. These experimental results, if confirmed by long-term energy balance measurements, suggest that sleep restriction could be a factor that promotes obesity.
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