IMPACT OF SLEEP ON DEVELOPMENT OF EATING BEHAVIOR DISORDERS

Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining homeostasis, recovery, and nervous system function.Sleep disturbances disrupt hormonal regulation, circadian rhythms, and neurotransmitter activity, which can contribute to the development of eating behavior disorders such as compulsive overeating, emotional eating, and night eating syndrome.This study aimed to analyze physiological mechanisms linking sleep quality and duration with appetite, food preferences, emotional state, and eating-related behaviors.Data were collected from 71 participants (84,5% female, 15,5% male), including medical students and healthcare workers aged 18-35 years, using standardized questionnaires assessing sleep quality, circadian rhythms, chronotype, and food preferences.The results showed that sleep fragmentation positively correlated with changes in food preferences, while delayed sleep onset was associated with more frequent nighttime eating.At the same time, shorter sleep duration was accompanied by increased hunger in the evening and at night.A paradoxical finding was the negative correlation between gadget use duration and food intake after 10 p.m., which may indicate the influence of individual stress-coping strategies on eating behavior.Subgroup analyses revealed stronger correlations in males, potentially due to lower leptin sensitivity and higher energy expenditure.Additionally, body mass index was positively correlated with emotional and non-hunger-driven eating behaviors in males and healthcare workers.Журнал «Перспективи та інновації науки» № 12(58) 2025 1952 These findings underscore the complex interplay between sleep disturbances and disordered eating behaviors mediated by hormonal and circadian dysregulation.Promoting good sleep hygiene and tailored interventions may help prevent or mitigate eating behavior disorders, particularly in vulnerable groups.