Influence of partial sleep deprivation on energy balance and insulin sensitivity in healthy women

Abstract

Background: Voluntary sleep restriction is a lifestyle feature of modern societies that may contribute to obesity and diabetes. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of partial sleep deprivation on the regulation of energy balance and insulin sensitivity.

Subjects and methods: In a controlled intervention, 14 healthy women (age 23-38 years, BMI 20.0-36.6 kg/m(2)) were investigated after 2 nights of >8 h sleep/night (T0), after 4 nights of consecutively increasing sleep curtailment (7 h sleep/night, 6 h sleep/night, 6 h sleep/night and 4 h sleep/night; T1) and after 2 nights of sleep recovery (>8 h sleep/night; T2). Resting and total energy expenditure (REE, TEE), glucose-induced thermogenesis (GIT), physical activity, energy intake, glucose tolerance and endocrine parameters were assessed.

Results: After a decrease in sleep du-ration, energy intake (+20%), body weight (+0.4 kg), leptin/fat mass (+29%), free triiodothyronine (+19%), free thyroxine (+10%) and GIT (+34%) significantly increased (all p < 0.05). Mean REE, physical activity, TEE, oral glucose tolerance, and ghrelin levels remained unchanged at T1. The effect of sleep loss on GIT, fT3 and fT4 levels was inversely related to fat mass.

Conclusion: Short-term sleep deprivation increased energy intake and led to a net weight gain in women. The effect of sleep restriction on energy expenditure needs to be specifically addressed in future studies using reference methods for total energy expenditure.

Fig. 1

Overview of the experimental protocol. OGTT = Oral glucose tolerance test.

Fig. 2

Relationships between a the sleep restriction induced increase in energy intake and body weight from T0 to T1 and b the difference in energy intake and body weight during sleep recovery (T1-T2). • Normal weight women, ■ overweight women,▲ obese women.

Fig. 3

Basal and post-OGTT a leptin and b ghrelin levels before (T0) and after a period of chronic sleep deprivation (T1). Error bars = SD; *p < 0.05.

Fig. 4

a Sleep loss lead to an increase in GIT that was b dependent on body fat mass. Error bars = SD; fat mass_ADP T0, percentage of fat mass measured by air displacement plethysmography at T0.