Lack of Sleep Linked to Insulin Resistance, Type II Diabetes

Sleep as important as a healthy diet and exercise

People who consistently get too little sleep face the increased risk of developing type II diabetes. A study found that sleep deprivation impairs the ability of fat cells to respond to insulin, a hormone that regulates metabolism and is involved in diabetes. In the study, seven healthy young men and women spent a total of eight days and nights in a sleep lab. They were allowed to sleep normally four nights, and on the other nights they were limited to just 4.5 hours. After four nights of sleep deprivation, blood tests revealed that their overall insulin sensitivity was, on average, 16 percent lower than after the nights of normal sleep. Moreover, their fat cells' sensitivity to insulin dropped by 30 percent - levels typically seen in people who are obese or who have diabetes. Strokes have also been linked to a lack of sleep. (CNN)

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