Sleep Apnea, Glucose Regulation and Diabetes in Patients with Sleep Apnea

摘要

Recent years have provided solid data on the huge importance of sleep in metabolic control in general, and glycemic control in particular. Both too-short sleep (less than 6 hours per night) and too-long sleep (more than 9 hours) are associated with increased risk for diabetes. The mechanisms for these associations are still not completely clear, despite much progress in recent years. The association between sleep and glucose control is complex. While disturbed sleep may increase the risk for diabetes, it appears that diabetes in turn may result in sleep disturbances. Experimental sleep deprivation in healthy volunteers resulted in insulin resistance, which normalized following recovery sleep. On the other hand, obstructive sleep apnea (the most common cause of hypersomnia) has also been shown to result in insulin resistance and risk of diabetes.