The relationship between obesity and sleep disorders

Abstract

Reduced sleep time has become a widely common condition in modern society. Recent studies have highlighted relevant epidemiological associations between changes in regular sleep patterns and the development of obesity. Both conditions have a growing impact on global health, also contributing to the increased risk of chronic diseases. Thus, poor quality or reduced duration of sleep are associated with metabolic and hormonal changes that are directly or indirectly related to obesity. Methods: This is an integrative literature review, with a search for articles in the PubMed, Scielo and BVS databases, including clinical trials, case-control studies, cohort studies and cross-sectional studies from the last 5 years. Literature reviews and articles that did not address the topic were excluded. Results: The studies showed that sleep disorders and poor sleep quality are associated with obesity, demonstrating a higher prevalence of these changes in people with high BMI. Final considerations: Obesity is considered a relevant factor for the development of sleep disorders, including respiratory disorders and sleep apnea syndrome. In addition, high energy density of the diet, lack of physical activity, use of psychostimulants and metabolic and hormonal disorders are closely related to obesity, poor sleep quality and short sleep duration.