There are many factors that deprive us of sufficient, quality sleep, including time limitations, insomnia, sleep apnoea, physical or psychological causes and environmental problems.

In 2004 University of Chicago researchers studied the effects of sleep deprivation on bloodsugar control in nine healthy young adults, and found that insomnia or sleep problems caused high blood sugar and weight gain and increased the risk of developing diabetes.

All three are interrelated - insomnia, diabetes and weight gain.

The researchers found that interrupting the deepest phase of sleep over and over causes bloodsugar levels to rise more than expected. The pancreas needs to send out extra insulin to bring the level back into line.

This is similar to what happens to most people with Type 2 diabetes.

At the same time, body weight tends to rise as the higher insulin levels push more sugar and more calories back into cells.

Then, the cells in the body stop responding so effectively to the insulin. This means that the pancreas needs to make even more insulin to drive the blood sugar into cells. Weight increases even more. Insulin levels keep rising, but bloodsugar levels rise even faster.

The results are usually weight gain, insulin resistance and higher and higher bloodsugar levels. This often leads to diabetes.

By Prof Dr Supakorn Rojananin

Special to

Daily Xpress

Prof DrSupakorn Rojananin

is chairman of the Department of Surgery in the Faculty of Medicine at Mahidol University's Siriraj Hospital.

>> Your questions related to health are welcome at                       contactsirinya@gmail.com.

xtra