June 26, 2001

Get Your Sleep to Help Prevent Diabetes: Research Shows Inadequate Sleep May Raise Diabetes Risk Factors

Source: American Diabetes Association Publication date: 2001-06-26

Philadelphia, PA (June 25, 2001) -- New evidence that inadequate sleep may prompt development of insulin-resistance, a well-known risk factor for diabetes, was reported here today at the American Diabetes Association's 61st Annual Scientific Sessions.

“We have shown that failure to get the slightly more than eight hours sleep per night that clinical experts recommend may contribute to the rising incidence of diabetes,” said Bryce A. Mander, a research assistant in the Endocrinology Section of the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago, in a recent interview. The research was done in the laboratory of well-known sleep researcher, Eve Van Cauter, Ph.D., a professor of medicine at the University.

“When you chronically get inadequate sleep, you are not merely developing a sleep debt but also disrupting other body functions,” explained Mr. Mander. “Such endemic sleep loss is widely seen in industrialized countries and has now been shown to decrease the body’s sensitivity to its own insulin.”

Approximately 16 million Americans have diabetes, a group of serious diseases characterized by high blood sugar levels that result from defects in the body's ability to produce and/or use insulin. Another 20 to 30 million have impaired glucose tolerance, a potentially pre-diabetic condition that results from poor insulin sensitivity. Diabetes can lead to severely debilitating or fatal complications, such as blindness, kidney disease, heart disease and amputations. It is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the U.S.

Sleep Research

The sleep research was undertaken to explore the hypothesis that one of the many functions of sleep is to help assure normal metabolism of sugar. This is a special concern as people in industrialized societies drive themselves for high work performance, progressively curtailing their sleep duration.

The sleep researchers studied 27 healthy, non-obese adults, aged 23 to 42 years; 14 were “normal” sleepers, whose average weekday sleep duration was 7.5 to 8.5 hours, while 13 were chronic “short” sleepers, whose average weekday sleep duration was under 6.5 hours. Their sleep patterns had been stable for at least six months. The two groups were matched for gender and ethnic distribution, exercise habits, and diabetic family history.

The participants wore a wrist activity monitor for eight consecutive nights and, on the last two, recorded their sleep at home using an ambulatory recording system. Over the course of the study, the short sleepers averaged 5 hours and 16 minutes per night, while the normal sleepers averaged three minutes under 8 hours of sleep per night.

On the final day of the study, the participants were admitted to the Clinical Research Center and, after an overnight fast, underwent an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT).

“Insulin sensitivity in the short sleepers was almost 40% lower than in the normal sleepers,” reported Mr. Mander. “Our research demonstrates that chronic sleep curtailment in otherwise healthy, young adults impairs the ability of insulin to do its job properly.” Such insulin resistance has been implicated in the development of the metabolic syndrome, which is a constellation of problems, including diabetes, hypertension, abnormal lipid levels, and obesity. Related research at the University of Chicago has shown that, even with an excellent diet and regular exercise, those who don’t sleep enough are at greater risk for weight gain.

The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the Association has offices in every region of the country, providing services to more than 800 communities.

-- Anonymous, July 04, 2001

Answers

This is just one more article I have read recently pointing to the need for substantial sleep for normal hormonal function. In addition, too little sleep causes excess cortisol to be manufactured which aggravates the situation.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

So on those occasional nights when I get less than 8 hours and have to take a nap (lest I tear off the heads of innocent salespeople), I can justify it by saying that I'm avoinding diabetes? Cool! Works for me. (;

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

Whwn I think about today's couples-with-kids, where there is so much rushing about to take in soccer, ballet, swimming, and so on (we used to do those things but they were accessible by bus), plus helping with homework, shopping, figuring out what plan to choose for the 401(k) and health insurance this year, taxes, getting things fixed, on and on, I can see why we don't get enough sleep. I'm not even going to get into those mothers forgetting about their kids in the car.

I know life doesn't have to be so fast-paced and full of things to do, but reality is that's the lifestyle for most people.

I'm still not convinced that overweight is a prime cause of type 2 diabetes. A British doctor postulates that an excess of insulin, which is stored as fat, causes the excess weight and is an early symptom of diabetes. I don't know enough about that theory but it's always been a wonder to me that, after a lifetime of being underweight, I suddenly started to gain weight in my mid- to late 40s, when I was actually being quite careful about fats and sugars anyway. Nothing I did made any difference, the weight inexorably piled on. I finally lost some weight (after the diagnosis) by eating minuscule portions of everything--almost a starvation diet, far as I was concerned. Now I'm trying this low-glycemic index thing and not even eating fruit at the moment (although I'll add it back in when my blood sugar is where it used to be before AC).

So, long story short, if you seem to be gaining weight steadily and there's no apparent reason for it, you'd better keep a close eye on your blood sugar--especially if you don't get anough sleep.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

How does one check ones blood sugar level?

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

Git, I HAVE THE ANSWER. M&M Peanuts! Glycemic index of only 46!!!!

http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

Didn't realize watermelon and donuts were THAT bad for me (glucose- wise). How about apples?? (Plus, as I'm scanning the list, why is glucose set at 137? I thought it was the standard, at 100...)

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

Hot Link anyone?

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

I'm doomed. Even when people leave me alone and let me sleep in, I still can't sleep more than six hours at night, can't sleep at all in the day time.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

Helen, don't let it get you down. Your body knows how much sleep it needs. Just watch for the signs of too little sleep.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

"Even when people leave me alone and let me sleep in..."

Change that to... Even when kitties leave me alone...

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

Actually, I think white processed sugar is 100. But there's another list and I think they use white bread as 100. I can't remember, dammit. It gets a bit confusing. Theimportant thing to remember is the lower, the better. I've had a lot of chana dal lately. . . (It's a 9--wonder if they have M&M chana dal?)

BTW, did you notice that mashed and baked potatoes are high on the list? Worse than sugar, as I recall. Boiled potatoes aren't as bad. I think when you mash them, although a lot of the starch has boiled out, you break down the fibers so the fiber content isn't as high, therefore they have a higher number.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001

My Dr. Weil book explains it as an increase in surface area. That's why baked or mashed potatoes, and either white or finely-ground whole wheat breads are all so high. White table sugar, sucrose, is supposed to be a combination of one glucose (dextrose) and one fructose. Fructose has a much lower GI.

It's all relative, but looks like there is more than one scale. T'would be easier with the same scale.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001