Technology

How does sleep deprivation make us a little fatter

ileod 11 months ago 3 min read

Lack of sleep can easily lead to obesity. Why is that? A study by science advances reveals that a lack of sleep will have a specific impact on gene expression and metabolism of the human body. This may explain why shift work and long-term sleep deprivation can damage metabolism and have a negative impact on the body. Epidemiological studies have shown that people with long-term sleep deprivation or shift work have a higher risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Other studies have shown that lack of sleep is associated with weight gain. Metabolic functions regulated by skeletal muscle and adipose tissue are adversely affected by sleep and circadian rhythm disorders. However, it is not known whether sleep deprivation itself causes molecular changes at the tissue level, thereby increasing the risk of poor weight gain. in this new study, scientists from Uppsala University confirmed that a lack of sleep can have a specific impact on gene expression and metabolism in the human body. they conducted experiments on 15 healthy people with normal weight. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups: one group received normal sleep (more than 8 hours), while the other group stayed up all night. The next morning, the researchers collected samples of subcutaneous fat and skeletal muscle, which often exhibit metabolic disorders in conditions such as obesity and diabetes. At the same time, they also collect blood samples to compare metabolic changes including sugar molecules, different fatty acids and amino acids. the results showed that sleep deprivation caused specific changes in DNA methylation in tissues. As an epigenetic modification, DNA methylation is associated with gene expression or silencing in cells, and is also affected by genetic and environmental factors, such as physical exercise. “interestingly, we only found changes in DNA methylation in adipose tissue, especially those genes associated with obesity and better metabolism of type 2 diabetes. “Genetic modification of memory can provide a way to regulate metabolism over a longer period of time.” Jonathan cedernaes, team leader, explained. further gene and protein analysis showed that the response induced by insomnia was different in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. In this regard, the team proposed a possible explanation: a night’s sleep will have a tissue-specific effect on the circadian rhythm of tissues, leading to the imbalance between these rhythms. in fact, researchers have found some special molecular markers that suggest that after sleep deprivation, adipose tissue attempts to increase its ability to store fat. At the same time, skeletal muscle proteins degrade. Changes in skeletal muscle protein levels that deal with blood glucose may help explain why the participants’ glucose sensitivity is impaired after sleep deprivation. Jonathan cedernaes concluded: “in the latest study, we observed the molecular characteristics of increased inflammatory response between different tissues. These molecular changes provide a partial explanation for “long-term sleep deprivation, increased obesity and the risk of type 2 diabetes.” the researchers stressed that this time they only studied the effects of acute sleep deprivation, and therefore did not know how other forms of sleep disruption or circadian rhythm disorders would affect participants’ circadian rhythms.