One Night of Sleep Deprivation Causes Insulin Resistance

Demonstrating once again the importance of a good night's sleep, new research has found that a six-month high-fat diet and one night of sleep deprivation could both impair insulin sensitivity in a similar manner. In this study, conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, researchers measured insulin sensitivity in eight male dogs, using an IV glucose tolerance test. They compared dogs before and after diet-induced obesity and one night of sleep deprivation, and compared those findings with the results of dogs that had a normal night's sleep.  Prior to being fed a high-fat diet, one night of sleep reduced insulin sensitivity by 33%, similar to the reduction caused by being fed a high-fat diet alone, which reduced sensitivity by 21%.  Dogs that had impaired insulin sensitivity from the high-fat diet did not have further impaired sensitivity with one night of sleep deprivation. The results from tests clearly showed that sleep deprivation can also lead to overall increased risk for metabolic diseases and increased food intake.  "It is critical for health practitioners to emphasize the importance of sleep to their patients," said Caroline M. Apovian, MD, FACP, FACN, a Fellow and spokesperson for The Obesity Society. "Many patients understand the importance of a balanced diet, but they might not have a clear idea of how critical sleep is to maintaining equilibrium in the body."