I came across this through Ed Yong’s weekly linklist, but @SciCurious often writes really interesting posts (Neurotic Physiology) on neurobiology. This one is particularly relevant to #IBBio students for a few reasons. First, you guys are up way too late, way too often. Second, it connects directly to our course – read this blog post (based on this paper), especially students working on option A: Nutrition, or anyone reviewing hormonal control.

Click for the graphs & article at the Neurotic Physiology blog.

Finally it is ripe for data-based question practice.

These graphs click-through to the originals posted at SciCurious’s blog. Here are some DBQ-style questions you might ask:

• Calculate the difference in post-dinner snack energy intake between having a ‘normal’ 9h sleep and the sleep-deprived 5h condition. 
• Compare the trend in energy expenditure throughout the day between 9h sleep and 5h sleep.
• Describe the difference between 9h sleep and 5h in terms of eating patterns.
• Evaluate the hypothesis that “when we sleep less, we eat more” based on the data provided and information in the article.
• Explain the role of the appetite control centre of the brain on appetite, and suggest how it is affected by the conditions of the experiment.

Appetite Control: from the Wellcome Trust (‘The Anatomy of Appetite’ explainer page here).

……….o0O0o……….

So there you go – you learned something.

Get to bed. And leave the snacks in the fridge.