Sleep Deprivation Linked To Increase in Food Purchasing The Following Day

Researchers of a new study found that a night of sleep deprivation leads to a person purchasing more food the following day.

Sleep deprivation is a public health epidemic with over 50-70 million U.S. adults suffering from this disorder. Many studies conducted previously have linked sleep deprivation to obesity, owing to a higher intake of high-calorie food items.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teenagers are recommended at least nine to ten hours of sleep per night, while adults should get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night.

The latest study conducted on the same subject found that a night of sleep deprivation leads to a person purchasing more food the following day. The disorder is known to increase levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger, in the blood. Though scientists found no correlation between increased levels of ghrelin and purchasing trends, researchers speculate that this increase in food purchasing following a sleep deprived night could be based on impulsive decision making.

"We hypothesized that sleep deprivation's impact on hunger and decision making would make for the 'perfect storm' with regard to shopping and food purchasing-leaving individuals hungrier and less capable of employing self-control and higher-level decision-making processes to avoid making impulsive, calorie-driven purchases," said first author Colin Chapman, MSc, of Uppsala University in a press release.

Through the study, researchers found that sleep deprived participants purchase 9 percent more calories and 18 percent more grams of food than people who have had a good night's sleep.

"Our finding provides a strong rationale for suggesting that patients with concerns regarding caloric intake and weight gain maintain a healthy, normal sleep schedule," said Chapman.

This is not the first time a study has linked sleep deprivation to higher calories' consumption. A recently conducted study found that sleep deprivation increases a person's craving for junk food. A similar study conducted in the month of July found that sleep-deprived teenagers were more likely to make poor dietary choices.

Researchers of another study found that sleep deprivation not only affects a person's health but also changes his/her facial features. The disorder is often accompanied by hanging eyelids, redder eyes, more swollen eyes and dark circles under the eyes.