The Western lifestyle is frequently associated with a nightly reduction in the length of sleep obtained, which although one may regret the next day has now taken on much more serious undertones. New research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, has established a link between long term reduced sleep quantity and an increased risk of developing diabetes through the development of insulin resistance and decreased glucose tolerance.

A reduction in the amount of sleep obtained, in Westernised society, usually goes hand in hand with a lack of physical activity and excessive calorific intake. Many Westerners obtain less than six hours of sleep per night, on a regular basis, and previous studies have proven that they are at a greater probability of developing diabetes. This recent study, however, took this theory a step further by trying to establish whether it was the reduction in sleep in combination with an absence of physical activity and overeating.

The study consisted of a cohort of 11 healthy volunteers made up of middle-aged men and women. Who were then subjected to two lots of 14 day periods consisting of identical conditions in each, with free access to food, with the only difference being the length of time they were allowed to sleep each night: either 5.5 or 8.5 hours.

When the subjects had their sleep quantity reduced from 8.5 to 5.5 hours they exhibited responses to two common sugar tests, similar to those shown by people with an increased risk of developing diabetes.

The conclusions of the researchers, based on their findings, paved the way for a repetition of the study but with much larger group numbers and over a longer period of time to see if the results can be replicated on human glucose metabolism. This would then indicate that a sufficient amount of quality sleep should be added to the list of government advice for a ‘healthy lifestyle’ along with the now familiar: regular physical exercise and five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables per day.

So until these results have been replicated in much larger study groups and over a more chronic time period it is still only a possibility that the unhealthy aspects of our Western lifestyle when combined with a significant reduction in the amount of sleep obtained may contribute to many physically inactive and obese people developing diabetes, but until that time surely it is much better to be safe than sorry.