Dr. Banks says it was a surprise that participants did not crave foods rich in carbohydrates after sleep restriction, as previous research suggested they might and the results indicate that even though physiologically the desire to eat was not increased by sleep loss in participants, other factors such as the sedentary environment of the laboratory and the ability to snack for longer due to reduction in time spent asleep might have influenced the weight gain.

Dr. Banks says during real-world periods of sleep restriction such as during shift work, people should plan their calorie intake over the time they will be awake, eating small, healthy meals and healthy low fat/sugar snacks should be available so the temptation to eat comfort foods is reduced.

She says keeping up regular exercise is just as important as what food is eaten, so even though people may feel tried, exercising will help regulate energy intake balance.

The findings were presented on June 8 at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.