Deep Sleep Releases Growth Hormone, Boosting Muscle and Brain

According to ScienceDaily, deep sleep triggers the release of growth hormone, a chemical messenger that builds muscle, strengthens bones, and regulates fat metabolism.

The hormone also sends signals back to the brain to influence when we wake up, according to the same source.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley recorded neural activity in mice to map the brain circuitry behind this process.

They focused on the hypothalamus, a small region deep in the brain that controls hunger, temperature, hormones, and the sleep‑wake cycle.

The study identified neurons that produce growth hormone‑releasing hormone, which encourages hormone release, and somatostatin, which suppresses it.

The researchers discovered a previously unknown feedback system that maintains a balance between hormone levels and wakefulness.

The study was published in the journal Cell, and the first author, Xinlu Ding, said the work provides a basic circuit for future treatments.

The findings could eventually help develop new approaches to treating sleep disorders associated with metabolic diseases such as diabetes, as well as neurological conditions including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, according to ScienceDaily.