Sleep Deprivation Brings On Cannabis-Style 'Munchies,' Researchers Find

Researchers from University of Chicago say that sleep-deprived people may pack on the pounds because they have acquired the same munchies that cannabis smokers say they get. These marijuana-style munchies boost the appetite and enhance the pleasure of eating sweet, salty and high-fat foods.

According to Washington Post, the new study, published in the journal Sleep, aimed to explain why people tend to overeat after a poor night's sleep. They found that sleep deprivation brings on marijuana-like chemicals responsible of making food more appealing.

The research, partially funded by the Department of Defense, involves 14 healthy men and women in their 20s and asked them to stay in rooms where the light and sound were extremely controlled. The participants came in for two four-day visits wherein their sleep and food intake were strictly monitored.

The researchers discovered that too little sleep seemed to boost and alter the daily rhythm of a chemical signal known as endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol or 2-AG. The body's endocannabinoid system is also the same part of the brain targeted by the active ingredient in marijuana.

"We know that when people use marijuana, they overeat. And they tend to eat things that are yummy and rewarding," Erin Hanlon, lead researcher, told NBC News.

Hanlon added that when the cannabinoid system is activated, it modulates brain reward pathways. In effect, this will make people to overeat and crave for junk foods.

"If you have a Snickers bar, and you've had enough sleep, you can control your natural response. But if you're sleep-deprived, your hedonic drive for certain foods gets stronger, and your ability to resist them may be impaired so you are more likely to eat it. Do that again and again, and you pack on the pounds," Hanlon explained.

"We are hoping to bring awareness to fact that individuals need to think of adequate sleep and a good sleep routine as important aspects of maintaining good health," Hanlon stated. "People need to stop invoking 'the old adage of I'll sleep when I am dead.'"