Poor sleep can cause insulin resistance

By naturopath Margaret Jasinska

Insulin resistance is also referred to as pre diabetes. We normally think of the influence of foods on a person’s blood sugar level. It’s important to remember that sleep plays a major role as well.

Insulin resistance is rising rapidly in all parts of the world and is a leading risk factor for the development of fatty liver, obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and dementia.

Risk factors for developing insulin resistance

Eating more carbohydrate than your body can tolerate
Excess consumption of oxidised seed oils rich in linoleic acid
Lack of exercise
Stress
Excess inflammation, such as caused by allergies, autoimmune disease or environmental toxins
Some medication, including drugs used for mental illness and epilepsy, as well as steroids
Lack of sleep

Insufficient sleep makes it harder for insulin to work in your body

Two recent studies highlighted the shocking effects lack of sleep has on insulin function. One is called “A single night of partial sleep deprivation induces insulin resistance in multiple metabolic pathways in healthy subjects”. The other study is called “Sleep Restriction for 1 Week Reduces Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy Men”. When they refer to sleep restriction, they mean the subjects only got 5 hours of sleep per night. For some people that is a typical night of sleep. Ideally you would get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

Why does lack of sleep cause insulin resistance?

Not getting enough sleep is a major stress on your body. Your body interprets it as some kind of emergency. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your body thinks it means you aren’t safe. Therefore lack of sleep raises your blood level of the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol. They can remain elevated all day.

Cortisol does everything it can to raise your blood glucose level. It causes glucose from your liver and muscles to be released into your bloodstream. Cortisol can even cause the breakdown of collagen in your body, as well as your muscles and bones, converting them into glucose. What do most people do when they haven’t had enough sleep? They increase their caffeine intake. Unfortunately caffeine also raises cortisol, potentially worsening insulin resistance. Sleep deprivation also reduces motivation to eat well and exercise. It raises levels of hunger hormones and promotes cravings for junk food.

Woman Practicing Serene Sleep Hygiene Rituals in Cozy Bedroom Setting

How to improve sleep quality

First it’s important to realise that humans require 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Good quality and sufficient sleep can significantly improve your physical and mental health.
Magnesium is a wonderfully calming mineral that almost no one gets enough of. The stress hormone cortisol increases loss of magnesium in urine. So does alcohol. Taking a magnesium supplement may help relieve sleeplessness.
The natural hormone melatonin helps set a healthy circadian rhythm in your body. It is excellent for people who can’t fall asleep, shift workers and people who regularly change time zones. It is available from pharmacies. Higher doses require a doctor’s prescription.
Alcohol and sugar can both disturb sleep quality. They can cause leaky gut and promote liver inflammation. This can result in poor quality, restless sleep and may cause over heating or sweating at night. See the book Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It for strategies for improving liver health.
An overgrowth of the wrong gut bugs can cause inflammation to the lining of the intestines. This promotes leaky gut and triggers an immune system response. Your body interprets this as an infection and a source of stress. The stress hormones cortisol and adrenalin get released. If this occurs during the night, the stress hormones can cause a light, broken, interrupted and un-refreshing sleep.
Avoid having an overly large meal in the evening, eating too late at night and snacking after dinner. All of those factors can significantly reduce your sleep quality because your body will be too busy digesting food throughout the night.
Doing some exercise each day can relax your muscles and nerves and help you get better quality sleep.