Blog Archive

Friday, February 10, 2012

Can Lack of Sleep Contribute to Obesity? - Dr Briffa's e-newsletter - 10th February 2012


 
Dear Kelley
 
Can lack of sleep contribute to obesity?
  
There are many factors that affect body weight including, obviously, how much and what we eat. Our food choices can be determined by many factors including levels of appetite and hunger. One lifestyle factor that may influence this is sleep. Previous studies have found that sleep deprivation can boost levels of hormones that stimulate appetite and suppress hormones that quell appetite. This week, I report on a study which assessed brain functioning after sleep deprivation. The results of this research lend more support for the idea that sleep deprivation may drive us to eat more than is good for us. For more on this, click this link.
 
Photograph reminds us of the fattening effects of insulin
 
The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a case study featuring an individual with 'lipohypertrophy' - accumulation of fat around the site of insulin injection. As I point out in one of my blog posts this week, this photograph reminds us of the inherently fattening effects of insulin and why lowering insulin levels can help individuals maintain a healthy body fat level. For more on this, click this link.
 
Can shining a light into the ears help combat 'winter blues'?
 
Light therapy is a recognised treatment for 'winter blues' and 'seasonal affective disorder'. However, recent research suggests that a viable alternative to conventional light therapy is to shine light not into the eyes, but the ears. For more on this, click this link.
 
 

 
To order a copy of the book from amazon UK click this link.
 
To order a kindle version of the book (UK-only) click this link.
 
To your good health!
 
Dr John Briffa
 
www.drbriffa.com

 


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