Psychology Today: Sleep the Weight Off
Following up on a previous post about the importance of getting enough sleep to enhance effectiveness and productivity, Northwestern University researchers have found another reason why we should not slight ourselves out of those needed hours that give our bodies a chance to repair and prepare for the next day:
The sun goes up, the sun goes down, and the Earth goes round and round. It's been happening for all the days of our lives, not to mention those of our amoeba ancestors. That daily cycle is built into our very fiber, into our genetic code; we run on circadian rhythms that tell us when to rise, when to sleep and when to eat.
When Northwestern researchers recently fiddled with one of the circadian clock genes in test mice, conveniently known as CLOCK, the animals stayed up when they would normally sleep and snacked all the time. They also developed symptoms that could lead to diabetes, like insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels. Ultimately, the circadian cycle-confused rodents gained more weight on the very same diet as mice whose clocks ran straight.
The physical results are important, but so to is where researchers found the CLOCK gene. It was all over the place. Especially intriguing was its location in areas of the brain that control metabolism and appetite, and in cells that metabolize sugar.
Now, if you’re up late reading this — go to bed. Now!
Recent Comments