ESPResearchers have identified the brain circuitry that links deep sleep with the release of growth hormone, revealing how the two regulate each other. The newly discovered feedback loop helps explain why poor sleep can interfere with growth, muscle repair, fat metabolism, and brain function. Credit: Yang Dan lab/UC Berkeley
A good night's sleep does far more than leave you feeling refreshed. It also triggers the release of growth hormone, a key hormone that helps build muscle and bone, burn fat, and support healthy growth. That's why athletes value quality sleep for recovery, and why teenagers need enough sleep to reach their full height potential.
Scientists have long known that growth hormone levels rise during sleep, especially during the deep, non-REM stage. What has remained unclear is exactly how the brain controls this process.
Now, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have uncovered the brain circuitry responsible for regulating growth hormone during sleep. Their study, published in the journal Cell, also reveals a previously unknown feedback system that helps keep growth hormone levels in balance.
The discovery offers new insight into the close relationship between sleep and hormone regulation. It could eventually guide new treatments for sleep disorders linked to metabolic diseases such as diabetes, as well as neurodegenerative conditions including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Know more: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626030433.htm
