Overeating may be caused by lack of sleep: Study

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Do you often find yourself overeating without any specific reason? Turns out that it might be caused by lack of sleep.

A new study has said that sleep deprivation might be the reason behind you feeling munchy most of the time.

This is because, sleep deprivation may boost levels of a chemical that makes eating more pleasurable, which leads to overeating and poor food choices.

According to a report in The Hawk, this chemical signal is endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). Blood levels of 2-AG are typically low overnight. They slowly rise during the day, peaking in the early afternoon, researchers said.

The Hawk further reported that this increase in circulating endocannabinoid levels, "could be a mechanism by which recurrent sleep restriction results in excessive food intake, particularly in the form of snacks, despite minimal increases in energy need," researchers said.

The study was published in the journal SLEEP.