Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Nation & World


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 12:00 AM

E-mail article     Print view

Improved sleep may help deter type of diabetes, study suggests

When Shakespeare called sleep the "chief nourisher of life's feast," he may have been well ahead of his time, medically at least. Researchers at the University...

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — When Shakespeare called sleep the "chief nourisher of life's feast," he may have been well ahead of his time, medically at least.

Researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center report that disrupting sleep damages the body's ability to regulate blood-sugar levels, potentially raising the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

More than 18 million Americans have diabetes. The most common form is type 2, in which the body either becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't produce enough of it to regulate sugar in the bloodstream.

In a small experiment, researchers led by Dr. Esra Tasali, an assistant professor of medicine, found that disrupting the deepest sleep periods of volunteers rapidly resulted in reduction in their ability to regulate blood-sugar levels.

The findings were reported in Monday's online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers studied the sleep patterns of nine volunteers, five men and four women, all of normal weight, in good health and ages 20 to 31.

Normal sleep is divided into several stages, with "slow-wave" sleep considered the deepest. Whenever the volunteers went into slow-wave sleep, the researchers made noise — enough to disturb the sleep though not to fully awaken them.

After just three days, the ability of the volunteers to regulate blood sugar fell by 25 percent, the researchers said.

Earlier studies have indicated that lack of sleep can reduce the ability to regulate sugar, and this report adds evidence that poor sleep quality is also a diabetes risk.

"This decrease in slow-wave sleep resembles the changes in sleep patterns caused by 40 years of aging," Tasali said in a statement. Young adults spend 80 to 100 minutes per night in slow-wave sleep, while people over age 60 generally have less than 20 minutes.

"In this experiment," she said, "we gave people in their 20s the sleep of those in their 60s."

Dr. Eve Van Cauter, a professor of medicine and co-author of the report, said: "Since reduced amounts of deep sleep are typical of aging and of common obesity-related sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, these results suggest that strategies to improve sleep quality, as well as quantity, may help to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in populations at risk."

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Nation & World headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

Senate Democrats split on health bill's fate

UPDATE - 04:05 PM
SC gov faces 37 charges he broke state ethics laws

U.K. started planning early for war, leaked papers show

Vaccine to kill nicotine buzz now in late tests by small drug firm

India's feeling bruised even before White House visit

Advertising

Video

Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup
Real Salt Lake defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy with penalty kicks after 120 minutes of play at Qwest Field in Seattle.

Raw Video | Real Salt Lake receives the MLS Cup trophy
Raw Video | Real Salt Lake fans celebrate
Real Salt Lake fans enter Qwest Field
Raw Video | MLS Cup Opening Ceremony
LA Galaxy's David Beckham
Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman
MLS trophy arrives in Seattle
Chittenden Locks Inspection
Full interview with New Moon actors

Marketplace

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

nwautos

Less is more: Group rides, good gas mileage have led to a scooter swarm in Seattlenew
Local riders say they've seen a surge in scooter interest in recent years, mostly from people wanting another commuting option. Seattle now ranks as o...
Post a comment

Advertising