Ask The Expert
Diagnosis & Symptoms

Yes there is. Studies over the past 8 years have documented sleep length with diabetes risk.

We are sleep deprived

• Inadequate sleep is a common condition in modern society; with reports that we sleep on average about 6.8 hours/night which is 1.5 hours less than we did a century ago.
• As reported in Diabetes Care, March 2006, almost 1/3 of adults report sleeping less than 6 hours/night, prompting some experts to say that we live in a sleep-deprived society. Some possible causes for this include: longer work days and commuting time, an increase in shift and night work, environmental light, and of course, television, radio, and the Internet.

Effect of sleep deprivation

• Reduced growth hormone: Slow-wave sleep is known as the deep sleep period, when heart rate, respiration, and body temperature slow down, while growth hormone is increased. Growth hormone stimulates the production of protein in muscle cells and release of energy from the breakdown of fat, which controls the body’s proportion of muscle and fat.
  • Researchers are suggesting that sleep deprivation can cause reduced slow-wave sleep which may reduce the amount of growth hormone, which is linked to increased fat tissue, reduced muscle mass, and obesity.
• Reduced production of leptin, a hormone that helps you feel full after a meal.
• Altered carbohydrate metabolism:
  • The rate of glucose recovery (how fast your blood glucose returns to normal after a meal) is slower.
  • Insulin response to glucose (how much insulin the pancreas secretes in response to glucose) is reduced, which can be an early marker of type 2 diabetes.
  • Blood glucose levels may be higher after breakfast when you are sleep deprived.
  • There is an increased release of cortisol (a stress hormone that is also called a counter-regulatory hormone) which causes a decrease in insulin sensitivity, meaning that you have more insulin resistance.
• Other associated effects:
  • Depression
  • Higher risk of heart disease
  • Reduced testosterone in men, which is associated with increased body fat and insulin resistance
  • Impaired mental and physical performance
  • Increased risk of automobile accidents due to drowsiness or falling asleep at the wheel
  • Note that obesity increases the risk of sleep apnea and other sleep-disordered breathing conditions, and sleep-disordered breathing is associated with daytime sleepiness, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

Too much sleep isn’t good either

On the other hand, too much sleep is also associated with an increased incidence of diabetes. Studies reported similar results in those who slept over 8 hours/night as those who were sleep deprived.  There are no definite physiological causes for this but experts have speculated that excess sleep may be related to sleep-disordered breathing conditions which can cause sleepiness, obesity, and an increased risk of diabetes.

So what should you do?

Check your own sleeping habits and talk to your healthcare team if you are having difficulty getting adequate and quality sleep.

There are several resources provided in the resource links below.

Sweet Dreams!