Lack Of Even One Night's Sleep Can Up Your Risk Of Diabetes: Study

Lack of sleep may increase risks of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance

Having adequate sleep each night is an important prerequisite for good health. A study has shown that being sleep deprived for just 6 hours or a single night can affect the liver's ability to produce glucose and process insulin. This in turn increases risks of metabolic diseases like fatty liver and type-2 diabetes. People who are sleep deprived might also end up eating more, move less and are at higher risks of developing type-2 diabetes. Researchers from Toho University in Japan said that it was still unclear whether glucose intolerance was because of changes in food intake, energy expenditure or sleep deprivation - reports IANS. The study, which was done on mice, stated that blood glucose levels were found to be significantly higher in the sleep deprivation group after a six-hour session of wakefulness.

Lack of sleep can increase risks of type-2 diabetes
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Levels of tiglycerides and production of glucose in liver was also found to be increased in the sleep deprivation group after a single wake up period. Higher levels of triglycerides have been found to be associated with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is referred to inability of the body to be able to process insulin properly. Also, lack of sleep changed expression of enzymes which regulate metabolism in liver in the mice which were deprived of sleep.

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These findings are also suggestive that intervention studies to prevent sleep deprivation should be done in future.

The study was published in the American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism.

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Here are other ways in which sleep deprivation can harm you

1. A person who is sleep deprived is more prone to accidents. Sleep depravity is a big safety hazard.

2. Sleep deprivation dumbs you down and reduces your ability to think and learn effectively.

3. People who are sleep deprived are at higher risks of heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

Lack of sleep can increase risks of high blood pressure
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4. Lack of sleep can ruin your sex drive and lower your libido. This is primarily because of low energy levels, increased tension and sleepiness.

5. Lack of adequate sleep can increase risks of depression and anxiety. It can also make your skin age faster than usual.