Venture’s Chief Medical Officer attended a Round-Table Discussion on Sleep and Obesity offered by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. Most important take-home points:
1. Sleep deprivation is related to Obesity and many disorders are intertwined:
Obesity Cardiovascular disease Metabolic Disorders Immune Disorders
Cancer Performance Deterioration Psychological Disorders Stress
2. Your Metabolic Profile includes regulation of hunger, sleep and immunity-related hormones and body substances like Leptin, Ghrelin, Insulin, Glucose, Orexin, Serotonin, Cholecystokinin, Interleukins, Tumor Necrotic factor (TNF). Sleep deprivation disturbs the metabolic profile, leading to Behavioral and Eating impairments. That is why Immune Disorders and even Cancer is related to lack of Sleep and Obesity.
3. 7 to 9 hrs of sleep every night seems to be the magical range of optimum sleep needs:
A. Body Mass Index (BMI) increases with sleep less than 7 hours and more than 9 hours.
B. Your risk of Sleep Apnea and its severity both increase with increasing BMI.
C. Sleep deprivation for just 5 nights is responsible for 1-2 lb weight gain
D. Sleep less than 7 hours or more than 9 hours leads to wanting of “unhealthy comfort foods” like sweet carbs and oily fatty food
4. Obesity exposes you for increased risk of Sleep Apnea, Arthritis, depression, GERD(reflux), Diabetes, Asthma and more; each of which increase your risk of Sleep Dysfunction, leading you to a vicious cycle.
