Impact of insufficient sleep on dysregulated blood glucose control under standardised meal conditions – published online 30/11/2021

Neli Tsereteli, Raphael Vallat, Juan Fernandez-Tajes, Linda M. Delahanty, Jose M. Ordovas, David A. Drew, Ana M. Valdes, Nicola Segata, Andrew T. Chan, Jonathan Wolf, Sarah E. Berry, Matthew P. Walker, Timothy D. Spector, Paul W. Franks

Small in-patient studies and larger observational studies suggest that features of how we sleep may affect our metabolic health. In this issue, Tsereteli et al (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-021-05608-y) report data from the largest experimental study to date focusing on objectively assessed sleep and its impact on postprandial blood glucose following standardised breakfast meals. The authors show that poor sleep efficiency and later bedtime routines worsen blood glucose responses overall. The authors also show that at an individual level, sleep matters, as person-specific deviations from normal sleep patterns also impact the blood glucose response to breakfast. This was especially true when an oral glucose load was given as the breakfast meal, suggesting that the popular practice of consuming energy drinks after a poor night’s sleep may be particularly detrimental for blood glucose regulation. The authors conclude that these findings underscore the importance of sleep in the optimal regulation of human metabolic health.

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