Insufficient Sleep Increases Diabetes Risk

Short sleep times may contribute to the development of insulin resistance and reduced glucose tolerance, which in turn may elevate the risk of diabetes, concludes a new study. To reach the conclusion, researchers subjected a group of healthy middle-aged men and women to two controlled 14-day periods of sedentary living with free access to food and 5.5 or 8.5 hour bedtimes. When the subjects had their bedtimes decreased from 8.5 hours to 5.5 hours they showed changes in their response to two common sugar tests, which were similar to those seen in people with an increased risk of developing diabetes.  The findings raise the possibility that when the unhealthy aspects of the Westernized lifestyle are combined with reduced sleep duration, this might contribute to the increased risk of many overweight and sedentary individuals developing diabetes.

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), Aug. 2009