What We Eat and The Sleep-Wake Cycle

Leptin and ghrelin play a crucial role in regulating our appetite and food intake and when these hormones become desynchronised, it can significantly impact our food choices and eating habits.

When we disrupt our sleep-wake cycles these hormones become desynchronised.

For context, someone sleeping in and staying out late every weekend chronically disrupts that sleep-wake cycle.

This results in:

Increased Appetite:

Desynchrony between leptin and ghrelin can lead to increased ghrelin levels when you should be feeling full. This can result in persistent feelings of hunger and an increased appetite, causing you to eat more than your body actually needs.

Food Cravings:

Ghrelin desynchrony may also intensify food cravings, especially for high-calorie, sugary, or fatty foods. You may find it harder to resist unhealthy snacks or larger portions.

Poor Food Choices:

The combination of increased appetite and food cravings can lead to poorer food choices. People may be more inclined to opt for quick, convenient, and less nutritious options, contributing to an unhealthy diet.

Overeating:

Disrupted leptin and ghrelin patterns can make it challenging to recognise when you're full. This can result in overeating, which can lead to weight gain and other health issues.

Weight Gain:

Over time, the desynchrony of these hormones can contribute to weight gain and obesity due to increased calorie intake and poor food choices.

Irregular Eating Patterns:

Sleep-wake disruptions can also lead to irregular eating patterns, including late-night snacking or skipping meals, further complicating the synchronisation of these hormones.

Prioritising a regular sleep schedule, maintaining a balanced diet, and managing stress (nervous system) can help improve the synchronisation of these hormones and promote healthier food choices.

One of the key reasons we chose to focus on the improvement of the sleep-wake cycle in human beings is the enormous health impact it has on us across the board.

So, whilst many of us are spending money trying to maintain a better body composition, maybe a lot of it lies in our lifestyle management and better sleep-wake hygiene.