In human subjects, studies have pointed to the possible involvement of altered sleep hours in the altered energy balance of the body and to alterations in the sleep pat- tern as a contributory factor to increased obesity [1-3].
Epidemiological and laboratory studies have indicated that self-reported short sleep duration is associated with increased risks for metabolic disruption, including impaired glucose tolerance, impaired insulin resistance, increased ghrelin, decreased leptin, and increased body mass index (BMI) [1,4]. These findings may partially ex- plain the increased mortality associated with short sleep duration, which has been replicated by many studies [5,6]. But the role of diet in these sleep-related metabolic phenomena is currently unknown.