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Fattening foods: lack of sleep promotes an appetite for sweet and fatty Snacks

Sleep deprivation makes you hungry for chocolate and Fast Food

Too little sleep is unhealthy: lack of sleep not only increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases, but also can promote Obesity. Scientists from Cologne have now explored why this is so.

Lack of sleep is dangerous to the health

That lack of sleep is unhealthy, could be in numerous scientific studies. He not only ensures constant fatigue and high blood pressure, but is, in many cases, even cause Diabetes and heart attacks. You can also be due to lack of sleep thick because of too short sleep on a cravings for Fattening such as fats and sweet Snacks ceases. This have already been demonstrated in previous studies. A new study has now shown why our self-control weakens in this state.

Why you Wake up after a short night with cravings

Only recently, an international group of researchers reported that sleep deprivation increases the risk for Obesity.

Other studies have shown that you will get fat if you sleep too little.

This also has to do with the phenomenon that you Wake up after a short night, often with cravings for chocolate, burgers and other Junk Food.

So far out of balance that is a bit hormonal balance was considered as the reason for the strange – and the unhealthy – connection.

However, as researchers at the University of Cologne, now report in the journal “Journal of Neuroscience” it could be “fatigue an appetite” is also quite different.

The researchers found evidence that sleep deprivation activates the reward system in the brain, and the appetite for fatty Snacks boosts.

Muddled Hormone Balance

In epidemiological studies it could be shown that people with chronic lack of sleep have an increased risk for obesity or type 2 Diabetes.

Previously it was seen as a cause for often the hormone balance. It is believed that the hormone is brought to the household by a lack of sleep messed up, and in consequence of the cravings for greasy or sweet food will be awakened.

This assumption has now been made, however, by a Team of Julia Rihm, who has been conducting research in the area of Biological psychology at the University of Cologne, to the test.

“Our findings suggest that increased food is the result of evaluation after the loss of Sleep more on hedonic than on hormonal mechanisms,” the study authors write.

Joint analysis of three factors

To reach their conclusions, invited the scientists from 32 healthy, lean men to the lab, where you on two evenings, with several days distance, a dinner was served.

Thereafter, the subjects were instructed to either go home and sleep, or to stay in the laboratory, where they were kept awake.

The Morning after was recorded for all participants in the MRI tube, the activity of the brain, while working on a task.

The information suggests that the men should explain how great is their willingness to pay for certain Snacks or Non-food money.

In addition, the study participants blood was taken off, in order to measure the hormone levels. Furthermore, you should classify your feeling of Hunger on a scale.

For Jan Peters from the University of Cologne, the joint analysis of these three factors is the special feature of the investigation.

“We have collected both hormonal changes as well as the influence on the behavior and effects on the brain,” explained the co-author of the study, in an interview with the German press Agency.

Subjective value of food

The scientists found that the subjective value of food is increased compared to Non-food by sleep loss.

Although the feeling of Hunger should be the same in both experimental groups the same, (after all the subjects had both in the bedroom as well as in the peaceful night living on the same time without food) however, a significant difference was indicated:

According to the authors of the study, the subjects with sleep deprivation, willing goods, more money for Snacks than for Non-food spend.

“This effect could be expected on the basis of the previous Study,” says neuroscientist Peter’s, according to dpa.

However, as the blood analyses showed, not just hormones responsible. The MRI showed rather increased activity in two brain area.

In the Amygdala, which is located in the temporal lobe of the brain and to the limbic System and the Hypothalamus located in the diencephalon.

According to the researchers, a night’s solve already withdrawal from sleep cycle, the use of a food-specific, neural reward system.

For the subjects of the Snack action-offer as a reward stimulus, the limbic System reacts and here especially the Amygdala, which affect or pleasure stressed sensations are processed.

No concrete recommendations for action

Jan Peters, needs to be clarified in further experiments, which is why these regions in the case of bleary-eyed people to be more enabled.

With the recommendations of the expert hold back, given the results of the investigation.

“Apparently, it is in cross-section so that lack of sleep increases the risk for a whole range of health problems, including obesity,” said Peters, according to dpa.

According to the scientists, a further building block for the explanation of the relationship is apparent with the new study.

“We now understand a piece closer to what mechanism triggers on the neural level this behavior, and which is perhaps rather a minor role to play,” said Peters. (ad)