Sleep - I learnt lots today
Sleep is the most over rated but necessary thing in our lives. I have been working in the psychology field for the past 2 years and man I have learnt lots from the Psych’s.....
I have currently had a total of 2 hours sleep since 9pm and it’s now 3.30am AEST... and I am wide awake....
I had a cortisone injection in my back today and wondering if that is why I can’t sleep, but in saying that my sleep isn’t crash hot on the best of days !!!
So before I had my injection I was in at work and one of the Psych’s and I were doing some research on why people eat during the night.. My ASD son is one of these peoples.... also is his father (un diagnosed ASD also ) we came across the following article which was very helpful and explained why this occurs.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-antidepressant-diet/201408/finally-explanation-night-eating
An extract from the article
A hormone, secreted by the stomach, but acting on the brain, may be the answer. Ghrelin (rhythms with Mary Ellen) seems to initiate eating at certain times over a 24 hour cycle, but not at other times. Although it seems as if we eat by the clock as in, “It is noon so I must be hungry,” this is apparently not the case (At least not in a research situation). About seven years ago, in a study published in the American Journal of Physiology by D.E. Cummings and colleagues, ghrelin levels were measured in volunteers whenever they started eating a meal. The researchers found that when the volunteers were most hungry, right before they started a meal, their ghrelin levels were high. After eating, ghrelin levels in the blood decreased and, as time passed, slowly began to rise again. Five or six hours after the previous meal, hunger and ghrelin levels again were high, and the subjects started on their next meal.
So why are we all not in the kitchen at 1 or 2 A.M. looking for something to eat, 6 or 7 hours after dinner? Most of us are asleep and if awakened would probably turn down a sandwich or some scrambled eggs. We are not hungry. The reason? According to research reported in the European Journal of Endocrinology by Natalucci, et al, the level of the hunger hormone is lowest between midnight and 7 A.M.
So my theory is, is there a link between our melatonin levels and Ghrelin levels ? I am going to test this theory with my son. Now he hasn’t had melatonin for a few weeks and I have noticed that he has been waking more to eat... So I am going to start giving him the melatonin again and see what happens...
The article also suggest using a light box to help, which we have at work so I am also going to test that theory also.
Are you a person that wakes up during night and binge eats ???
Do you have someone in your life who has ASD and noticed that they binge eat ??
I would be interested in your opinions and thoughts and having a discussion...
Ness
I have currently had a total of 2 hours sleep since 9pm and it’s now 3.30am AEST... and I am wide awake....
I had a cortisone injection in my back today and wondering if that is why I can’t sleep, but in saying that my sleep isn’t crash hot on the best of days !!!
So before I had my injection I was in at work and one of the Psych’s and I were doing some research on why people eat during the night.. My ASD son is one of these peoples.... also is his father (un diagnosed ASD also ) we came across the following article which was very helpful and explained why this occurs.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-antidepressant-diet/201408/finally-explanation-night-eating
An extract from the article
A hormone, secreted by the stomach, but acting on the brain, may be the answer. Ghrelin (rhythms with Mary Ellen) seems to initiate eating at certain times over a 24 hour cycle, but not at other times. Although it seems as if we eat by the clock as in, “It is noon so I must be hungry,” this is apparently not the case (At least not in a research situation). About seven years ago, in a study published in the American Journal of Physiology by D.E. Cummings and colleagues, ghrelin levels were measured in volunteers whenever they started eating a meal. The researchers found that when the volunteers were most hungry, right before they started a meal, their ghrelin levels were high. After eating, ghrelin levels in the blood decreased and, as time passed, slowly began to rise again. Five or six hours after the previous meal, hunger and ghrelin levels again were high, and the subjects started on their next meal.
So why are we all not in the kitchen at 1 or 2 A.M. looking for something to eat, 6 or 7 hours after dinner? Most of us are asleep and if awakened would probably turn down a sandwich or some scrambled eggs. We are not hungry. The reason? According to research reported in the European Journal of Endocrinology by Natalucci, et al, the level of the hunger hormone is lowest between midnight and 7 A.M.
So my theory is, is there a link between our melatonin levels and Ghrelin levels ? I am going to test this theory with my son. Now he hasn’t had melatonin for a few weeks and I have noticed that he has been waking more to eat... So I am going to start giving him the melatonin again and see what happens...
The article also suggest using a light box to help, which we have at work so I am also going to test that theory also.
Are you a person that wakes up during night and binge eats ???
Do you have someone in your life who has ASD and noticed that they binge eat ??
I would be interested in your opinions and thoughts and having a discussion...
Ness
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