Distinct associations between energy balance and the sleep characteristics slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep.

Context: Epidemiologically, an inverse relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sleep duration is observed. Intra-individual variance in the amount of slow wave sleep (SWS) or rapid eye movement (REM) sleep has been related to variance of metabolic and endocrine parameters, which are risk factors for the disturbance of energy balance (EB).

Objective: To investigate inter-individual relationships between EB (EB = |energy intake-energy expenditure|, MJ/24 h), SWS or REM sleep, and relevant parameters in normal-weight men during two 48 h stays in the controlled environment of a respiration chamber.

Subjects and methods: A total of 16 men (age 23+/-3.7 years, BMI 23.9+/-1.9 kg m(-2)) stayed in the respiration chamber twice for 48 h to assure EB. Electroencephalography was used to monitor sleep (2330-0730 hrs). Hunger and fullness were scored by visual analog scales; mood was determined by State Trait Anxiety Index-state and food reward by liking and wanting. Baseline blood and salivary samples were collected before breakfast. Subjects were fed in EB, except for the last dinner, when energy intake was ad libitum.

Results: The subjects slept on average 441.8+/-49 min per night, and showed high within-subject reliability for the amount of SWS and REM sleep. Linear regression analyses showed that EB was inversely related to the amount of SWS (r = -0.43, P

Conclusion: A positive EB due to overeating, was explained by a smaller amount of SWS and higher amount of REM sleep, mediated by hunger, fullness, State Trait Anxiety Index-state scores, glucose/insulin ratio, and ghrelin and cortisol concentrations.