A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds a link between too little sleep and the inability of fat cells to respond to insulin. If this becomes a habit, there is an increased chance of an individual developing type-2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, or obesity.
The study was done with young, healthy individuals under the age of 24, but the results of just four nights of sleep deprivation metabolically aged them by 10 to 20 years. This shows just how damaging inadequate sleep can be.
There have been many studies on sleep over the years, and lack of sleep has been linked to reduced attention, slow reaction times, learning impairments, and now metabolic consequences.
While it was not studied specifically, researchers do believe that the effects of sleep deprivation could be ameliorated by “making up” for sleep later, but over a long period of time, inadequate sleep can have serious and long-term effects.