Too Little Sleep May Fuel Insulin Resistance

December 05, 2012
Dr Mercola

Caffeine stays in your body longer than you realize

Story at-a-glance

• New research has shed some light onto why sleep deprivation may be so damaging to your health, as it may seriously impair the way your body responds to the hormone insulin.
   
• After four nights of sleep deprivation (sleep time was only 4.5 hours per night), study participants’ insulin sensitivity was 16 percent lower, while their fat cells’ insulin sensitivity was 30 percent lower, and rivaled levels seen in those with diabetes or obesity.
   
• Impaired insulin sensitivity, also known as insulin resistance, occurs when your body cannot use insulin properly, causing your blood sugar levels to rise to unhealthy levels. Insulin resistance is a precursor to type 2 diabetes as well as a risk factor in many other chronic diseases.
   
• Sleep deprivation puts your body in a pre-diabetic state, which can lead to increased weight and decreased health.

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