Study Reveals Why Sleepless Nights Lead to Junk Food Cravings

(Newswire.net — February 21, 2022) Orlando, FL — More and more studies are investigating the various aspects of sleep, especially on its linked with diet and craving.

A new Northwestern Medicine study has revealed why craving calorie-dense, high-fat foods happens after a sleepless night. It is worth noting that many people report craving fries, pizza, or doughnuts when they are sleep-deprived. 

The researchers revealed that it actually has something to do with the olfactory system, which sleeps deprivation affects in two ways. 

According to researchers, first, the olfactory system goes into hyperdrive, and this sharpens the food odors for the brain. In turn, it is better able to differentiate between food and non-food odors.

“When you’re sleep-deprived, these brain areas may not be getting enough information, and you’re overcompensating by choosing food with a richer energy signal,” said senior author Thorsten Kahnt.

Kahnt is an assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“But it may also be that these other areas fail to keep tabs on the sharpened signals in the olfactory cortex. That could also lead to choosing doughnuts and potato chips,” Kahnt added.

The paper was published on Oct. 8 in eLife.

In previous research studies, it has been found that sleep deprivation increases endocannabinoids, which are produced naturally by the body. They are also essential for feeding behavior and how the brain responds to odors, including food smells.

“We put all this together and asked if changes in food intake after sleep deprivation are related to how the brain responds to food odors and whether this is due to changes in endocannabinoids,” Kahnt said. 

“What makes our brain respond differently that makes us eat differently?”

The study was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, the National Blood Lung and Heart Institute, the National Institute on Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, all of the National Institutes of Health.

In these times of global health crisis, experts increasingly recommend getting adequate sleep as it is vital to maintaining strong immunity. Having a strong immune system requires not just adequate sleep, but also regular exercise, stress management, and proper nutrition.

Some nutrients like B vitamins could be particularly helpful for sleep and immune system health improvements. These nutrients are Choline, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamin, and vitamin B6.

All of these may be obtained through the use of formulas like Divine Bounty B Vitamin Complex. (https://amazon.com/dp/B07414752B).