Chronic disruption of circadian rhythm with mistimed sleep and appetite – an exploratory research

ABSTRACT

This research aimed to explore the relation of social jetlag (SJL) with perceived appetite, and hormones involved in hunger regulation in healthy subjects in free-living conditions (study registration number: ACTRN12618001182280). Eighty normally diurnally active men and women were enrolled in 4 study groups according to the presence of SJL and sleep deprivation (2 groups with SJL with or without sleep deprivations and 2 groups without SJL with or without sleep deprivation) matched 1:1:1:1 for age, gender, and body mass index. Appetite was assessed in fasting state, by measuring acylated ghrelin level and using 100 mm visual analog scales. Persons with SJL had a higher perceived appetite for pork, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and dairy products and higher acylated ghrelin levels than those without SJL. When considering the presence of sleep deprivation, subjects with SJL, with and without sleep deprivation, reported a higher perceived appetite than group with sleep deprivation alone. They also reported later meal times for lunch and dinner, had more frequently a snack before sleep and reported eating more frequently while watching TV or playing on computer, suggesting poorer eating habits in these subjects. In conclusion, independent of sleep duration, SJL is associated with an increased appetite for caloric dense food, suggesting an increased incentive value of food in these subjects and an anticipated pleasure of ingesting these foods.

KEYWORDS:

• Appetite
• circadian rhythm
• eating habits
• ghrelin
• hunger
• social jetlag
• sleep deprivation

Disclosure of interest

Authors declare no financial relationships with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work or could appear to have influenced the submitted work in the previous three years. AR reports fees from MYLAN; DC received fees from AstraZeneca, Sanofi; CV received fees from AstraZeneca and Mylan; CB reports fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Medtronic, and Sanofi; GI reports fees from AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Mylan, MSD; AC reports fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Medtronic, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Servier and Roche; GR reports fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Medtronic, MSD, Novo Nordisk, Roche, and Sanofi; AM, DS, RMP, CC, AF, MP, and BA nothing to disclose.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, CB, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no grant from any funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.