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REVIEW

Impact of Body Composition on Sleep and Its Relationship with Sleep Disorders: Current Insights

ORCID Icon, ORCID Icon & ORCID Icon
Pages 375-388 | Received 29 Oct 2022, Accepted 04 May 2023, Published online: 17 May 2023
 

Abstract

Sleep is involved in many physiological processes and is essential for both physical and mental health. Obesity and sleep deprivation due to sleep disorders are major public health issues. Their incidence is increasing, and they have a wide range of adverse health-related consequences, including life-threatening cardiovascular disease. The impact of sleep on obesity and body composition is well-known, and many studies have shown an association between insufficient or excessive sleep duration and obesity, body fat percentage, and weight gain. However, there is growing evidence of the effects of body composition on sleep and sleep disorders (particularly sleep disordered breathing) through anatomical and physiological mechanisms (nocturnal fluid shift, core body temperature, or diet). Although some research has been conducted on the bidirectional effects of sleep-disordered breathing and body composition, the specific effects of obesity and body composition on sleep and the underlying mechanisms that explain these effects remain unclear. Therefore, this review summarizes the findings on the effects of body composition on sleep and draws conclusions and proposals for future research in this field.

Disclosure

Takatoshi Kasai is affiliated with a department endowed by Philips Unk onics, ResMed, Fukuda Denshi, and Paramount Bed. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the MEXT*-Supported Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities, 2014–2018 (*Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), Japanese Center for Research on Women in Sport, Juntendo University, Project for Fostering, Survey Research for the Strategic Strengthening of female athletes 2018–2019 by the Japan Sports Agency. These funding sources did not have any other roles in this study.