Poor sleep ‘increases junk food cravings’

Sleep deprivation can make it more likely that a person will crave unhealthy foods, according to research from the University of California (UC) Berkeley.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers scanned the brains of 23 healthy young adults, first after a normal night's sleep and next after a sleepless night, discovering impaired activity in the sleep-deprived brain's frontal lobe, which governs complex decision-making.

However, these subjects also experienced increased activity in deeper brain centres that respond to rewards, which led to them favouring unhealthy snack and junk foods over nutritious options.

This study offers an insight into why people who sleep less also tend to be overweight or obese.

Study senior author Matthew Walker, a UC Berkeley professor of psychology and neuroscience, said the findings indicate that "getting enough sleep is one factor that can help promote weight control by priming the brain mechanisms governing appropriate food choices".

Earlier this week, a study from Tel Aviv University revealed that eating a larger breakfast rather than a big dinner can also help to reduce a person's risk of suffering from obesity and other health problems.