Sleep and metabolic control: waking to a problem?

Trenell MI, Marshall NS, Rogers NL.

Sleep and Circadian Research Group, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

1. The aim of the present review is to outline: (i) the association between sleep and metabolism; (ii) how sleep duration influences the development of disease; and (iii) how sex differences, ageing and obesity may potentially influence the relationship between sleep, metabolic control and subsequent disease. 2. Sleep is associated with a number of endocrine changes, including a change in insulin action in healthy young individuals. Sleep duration shows a prospective U-shaped relationship with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. 3. Chronic sleep restriction is becoming more common. Experimental sleep restriction impedes daytime glucose control and increases appetite. 4. The sex hormones oestrogen and testosterone influence sleep duration and quality and may account for sex differences in the prevalence of sleep-related disorders. 5. Ageing is associated with a decreased sleep duration, decreased muscle mass and impaired insulin action. 6. Obesity impairs insulin action and is associated with the incidence and severity of obstructive sleep apnoea. 7. Sleep plays an integral role in metabolic control. Consequently, insufficient sleep may represent a modifiable risk factor for the development of Type 2 diabetes. The challenge ahead is to identify how sex differences, ageing and obesity could potentially influence the relationship between sleep and metabolism.

PMID: 17201728 [PubMed - in process]

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Pre-Med Student

Found this interesting.For the last 2 years I have had difficulty sleeping,putting it down to stress,hormones etc.I developed Diabetes 9 months ago?????Could there be a link???? jacqui

Anything at this point is begining to show a conundrum loop. does dabetes cause a seocndary complication or is the secondary complication from teh diabetes.
often sleeping problems is a key indicator of something else going awry that may lead to finally being Dxd diabetic.

Once your blood sugar levels are steady for a while and brought under cntrol it may help with serotonin uptake for brain function.

I dont think your sleep rpblem caused the diabetes I think it was a secondary part of it. Like some of us hae secondary problems.

I actually like to sleep. Thats all I seem to want to do at times is sleep all the time. I sometimes get really sleepy through out the day as well for some reason but I never take a nap. It's just something I seem to go through.

It would make sense that this is a possibility. Sleep is such a hugely needed part of our life that many people don't realise they need and so go without. Without sleep we are under increased physiological stress. On a far more basic level, the less we sleep the more times a day we are likely eat, and so require blood sugar regulation.

I don't know if this has anything to do with this subject or anything but, I found that during my sleep even after eating say maybe two hours pryor, I wake with a huge starvation. Can someone tell me what that is all about.

If insufficient sleep increases the risk of Type 2, I wonder if there's a higher incidence of it with people who do shift work?

I know that work cycle is hard on the body aside from this possibility.