theVisualMD: A New Way to See Your Health – Sleep and Your Weight

How can interrupted sleep affect weight management? Scientists have found that two important appetite-control hormones, leptin and ghrelin, are regulated during our sleep cycles. The hormone ghrelin, produced in the stomach, tells our brain we are hungry. The hormone leptin, manufactured in our fat cells, tells our brain when we’ve had enough to eat. When sleep is restricted, the hormone ghrelin increases telling us we’re still hungry even if we’ve had enough to eat. The hormone leptin decreases, so it takes longer to get the message when we’re full. This imbalance can result in overeating and weight gain.

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