Research published in Family Practice News (April 1, 2005) examined sleep duration and metabolic health in 44 healthy adults.
Participants were divided into two groups. One group slept an average of 7 hours and 52 minutes per night, while the other group consisted of chronic “short sleepers,” averaging 5 hours and 16 minutes of sleep per night. Individuals in the short-sleep group demonstrated lower insulin sensitivity compared with those who slept longer.
More broadly, population studies have shown that obesity tends to be inversely related to sleep duration. Experimental research also suggests that sleep deprivation can impair glucose tolerance, while increasing sleep duration may improve insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation in some individuals.
