Frequent Waking Linked to Diabetes

Insulin resistance, the body's inability to recognize normal insulin signals, leads to high blood sugar levels and weight gain and often results in the development of type 2 diabetes. While previous studies have shown a link between diabetes and a lack of sleep, new research shows that frequent waking can also increase the risk of developing the disease. Healthy volunteers who were deprived of slow-wave sleep, the deepest stage of sleep, developed insulin resistance after just three nights. These effects are comparable to a weight gain of 20 to 30 pounds.