Sono: Impacto nos hormônios reguladores do apetite e no ganho de peso em adultos

Abstract

Inadequate sleep, characterized by less than 6 hours per night, is associated with increased body mass index (BMI) and weight gain in adults. This effect is linked to hormonal changes, such as elevated ghrelin levels, which stimulate hunger, and reduced leptin levels, which regulate satiety, leading to higher consumption of calorie-dense foods. Additionally, individuals with reduced sleep tend to adopt sedentary behaviors, decreasing energy expenditure. This integrative review aimed to assess the impact of sleep on weight gain in adults and the levels of appetite-regulating hormones, seeking to contribute to improved sleep hygiene, nutrition, and the reduction of overweight and obesity. Data were collected from the PubMed and BVS (Virtual Health Library) platforms, using the terms “weight gain,” “sleep deprivation,” “appetite regulation,” “ghrelin,” “leptin,” and their synonyms in English, with the Boolean operator “AND,” between December 2024 and January 2025. Three randomized clinical trials were analyzed. The included studies investigated, through different methodologies, the effects of sleep deprivation or restriction on hunger, appetite, food preferences, and hormonal regulation in both healthy-weight individuals and those with obesity. The findings demonstrated that sleep deprivation reduces leptin and increases ghrelin, intensifying hunger, cravings for calorie-dense foods, and the selection of larger portions, which may contribute to weight gain. The scarcity of recent studies and methodological heterogeneity highlight the need for broader, standardized research in real-world settings. The results suggest that insufficient sleep affects appetite regulation and obesity risk, underscoring its importance for energy balance.