Sleep restriction may activate hunger in a similar manner as marijuana

Alterations in the endocannabinoid (eCB) system may be contributing to the increased drive for food intake observed following sleep restriction, according to a study in the March issue of SLEEP. The authors report that the results are consistent with recent theories suggesting that overweight or obesity are, in part, the consequence of dysregulation in reward pathways.

Read the study in SLEEP: Sleep Restriction Enhances the Daily Rhythm of Circulating Levels of Endocannabinoid 2-Arachidonoylglycerol