Sleep disruption reduces the newly discovered hormone 'raptin,' potentially increasing appetite and promoting weight gain. Digest
Sleepless nights don’t just leave you tired—they may also interfere with your body’s ability to regulate hunger. Researchers have long known that poor sleep increases the risk of obesity, but the biological link has remained elusive. A recent study found that a sleep-triggered hormone called raptin helps control appetite and may explain why people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to gain weight.
Researchers examined brain activity, hormone levels, and eating behavior under different sleep conditions in mice and humans. They identified a previously unknown hormone, which they named raptin, and tracked where and when it was released. They also studied the effects of a genetic variant that blocks raptin production and examined hormone levels in people with sleep deficiency, obesity, and nighttime eating syndrome.
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They discovered that raptin is produced in a part of the brain that regulates hunger and hormone secretion and is released during sleep. When sleep is disrupted, raptin levels drop. In lab experiments, raptin acted on specific receptors in the brain and stomach to reduce appetite and slow stomach emptying. People with obesity and sleep deficiency had lower levels of raptin, while those who underwent therapy to improve sleep showed increases in the hormone. A genetic variant that blocks raptin production was linked to night-time overeating and obesity.
These findings indicate that raptin explains how sleep influences weight gain and appetite. Learn more about the effects of sleep deprivation in Aliquot #27: Health consequences of sleep deprivation, part I: Metabolic & immune health and Aliquot #28: Health consequences of sleep deprivation, Part 2: Mental & cognitive health