Everyone knows that a good night’s sleep is important, but did you know it can help your body grow stronger and stay healthier too?
Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, have now discovered exactly how deep sleep helps your brain release more growth hormone — a key substance that supports strong muscles, bones, and brain health.
Their new study, published in the journal Cell, explains how certain brain cells communicate during sleep to control growth hormone levels. These findings could one day help people with sleep problems or illnesses like diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, or Alzheimer’s.
Growth hormone helps the body burn fat, build muscle and bone, and regulate how we use sugar and fat. It’s especially important for kids and teens to reach their full height. But when we don’t get enough sleep — especially deep, non-REM sleep — growth hormone levels drop. Until now, scientists weren’t sure why.
In the study, researchers placed tiny sensors in the brains of mice to see how their brain cells behaved during sleep. Mice sleep in short naps, which gave scientists many chances to study what happens during each sleep-wake cycle.
They focused on two types of brain cells: GHRH neurons, which help release growth hormone, and somatostatin neurons, which slow down its release. Both of these are located in a deep part of the brain called the hypothalamus.
The researchers found that during REM sleep (the dreaming stage), both types of brain cells become very active and cause a strong release of growth hormone. During non-REM sleep (the deep sleep stage), GHRH slowly increases while somatostatin drops, also helping release growth hormone but in a more balanced way.
Once growth hormone is released, it affects another brain area called the locus coeruleus. This region controls wakefulness, attention, and alertness.
Growth hormone builds up during sleep and eventually stimulates this brain region to help the body wake up. But if it builds up too much, it can cause the opposite effect — sleepiness — creating a natural balance between sleep and wakefulness.
The researchers believe this balance between deep sleep and growth hormone is very important. If we don’t sleep enough, our bodies make less growth hormone. If we make too much growth hormone, our brains may get pushed into wakefulness too early.
Getting the right amount of sleep helps maintain this balance, which is important for growth, healing, energy use, and even thinking clearly.
This research also suggests that growth hormone may help with mental alertness and brain function when we’re awake — not just physical growth. The researchers hope this brain circuit they discovered could lead to new treatments for sleep disorders or diseases that affect the brain and body.
The study is published in Cell.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
