Yes, it does! A single night of poor sleep leads to insulin resistance, according to a study accepted for publication by the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The study measured the insulin sensitivity of healthy people after a night of eight hours of sleep against the same people only getting four hours of sleep. Insulin resistance, which is common among overweight people and is one of the precursors of Type 2 Diabetes, was increased after the night of only four hours of sleep. Most of us already know that chronic lack of sleep can alter metabolism and contribute to obesity, but now we know that only one night of poor sleep can negatively affect your weight.
Healing Tip of the Week
For many, getting enough sleep only requires a simple goal of getting to sleep earlier. Going to bed around 10 p.m. would give an average sleeper 8 hours of sleep. For these folks, it’s also a good idea to turn off the TV, radio, and end stimulating readings or conversations about 30 minutes prior to bed. I like to call it “down-shifting”. For more serious sleep problems, one effective remedy is acupuncture. Regulating your energy with this time-tested therapy often helps regulate sleep cycles.
