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Poor Sleep Linked to Diabetes
Tired bodies have trouble regulating blood sugar, research shows
By Peter Fearon
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Posted Jan 1, 08 11:10 AM CST
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(Newser)
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Poor sleep may lead to weight gain and diabetes, according to new research. After only 3 nights of light sleep, healthy people lost their ability to process sugar by 23%, perhaps explaining why many diabetics also have sleep disorders, ABC News reports. Although the survey sample was small, it casts doubt on previous assumptions that diabetes caused sleep problems.
The lead researcher speculated that obese patients may be even more sensitive to sleep disturbance. "Here's a sort of chicken-and-the-egg syndrome," said an expert not involved in the research. "This study is the chicken side, not the egg side." The "egg" side theory is that the extra weight often associated with diabetes impedes breathing and disrupts sleep.