Scientists have long known that there is a complex relationship between sleep and dietary metabolism. Inadequate sleep results in obesity and contributes to the development of diabetes and coronary disease. But until now, no one had connected genes linked to lipids with regulation of the need for sleep; the results fit into a growing awareness that organisms use lipids for much more than energy storage.
"It's becoming apparent that fats serve as signaling molecules in a number of contexts. If you identify the appropriate lipids involved in sleep regulation and figure out how to control them, you may be able to decrease suffering associated with loss of sleep or the need to stay awake," says Clay Semenkovich, MD, a Washington University lipid expert not directly involved in the study.
| Food | Qty | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Beer, Coors Light | 2 | 204 |
| Bicycle ride, 1 hr. | 0.5 | -250 |
| Chicken Parmigiana with Pasta, 2 c. | 850 | |
| Kaiser roll | 2 | 334 |
| Total | 1138 |