Dear Sundar,

I believe yes, the lack of sleeping can result in the development of diabetes.

Researchers are studying the link between shut-eye and diabetes. What they’re finding is that how you sleep -- how well, how little, or how long -- can help determine whether you get the disease or not.

One recent study found that too much sleep can put you at greater risk for type 2 diabetes. The CDC estimates that the disease could end up affecting 1 out of every 3 people in their lifetime.

  Another study found that too little rest disrupts your body’s “circadian” rhythm. Think of this as your biological clock. If you disturb it, your body becomes less responsive to insulin, a hormone the helps your cells turn sugar into energy. When that happens, it can lead to diabetes.

Doctors aren’t sure why poor sleep habits can lead to the disease. But one thing is clear: It's a wise idea to get quality shut-eye and make it habit.

We may refer to the following link:

http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/diabetes-sleep-connection

yes it can. There was a study (don't remember anymore where but I saw its summary on TV) where they took students for 2 weeks into a hospital stay for 2 weeks under full observation. half the group was allowed to sleep more than 6 hours and the other half less. They ate the same food and drank the same liquids. They did everything the same otherwise, including what time they went to sleep. The only difference was how much they were allowed to sleep. The group that slept less than 6 hours developed 20% greater chance of diabetes in 2 weeks.. 2 weeks!!! That is a very short time!

yes it can. There was a study (don't remember anymore where but I saw its summary on TV) where they took students for 2 weeks into a hospital stay for 2 weeks under full observation. half the group was allowed to sleep more than 6 hours and the other half less. They ate the same food and drank the same liquids. They did everything the same otherwise, including what time they went to sleep. The only difference was how much they were allowed to sleep. The group that slept less than 6 hours developed 20% greater chance of diabetes in 2 weeks.. 2 weeks!!! That is a very short time!

It is really amazing, only 2 weeks. Watch out with the figures.

does my answer show twice for you all? Not sure how that happened... 

Not wishing to rain on everyone's parade here, but what I see when I read these press releases is an association that is being interpreted as causation. For example:

It was found that the diabetics who were also poor sleepers had 23 per cent higher levels of blood glucose in the morning, as well as 48 per cent higher levels of blood insulin. For insulin resistance, these figures meant that poor sleepers with diabetes had 82 per cent higher insulin resistance than normal sleepers with diabetes. Eve Van Cauter, co-author of the study, also said "This suggests that improving sleep quality in diabetics would have a similar beneficial effect as the most commonly used anti-diabetes drugs ."

Or you could also quite happily say that people with higher insulin resistance are more likely to have poor sleep. This suggests that improving blood glucose control would improve sleep quality.

Just because A and B occur in the same people, doesn't mean A causes B.

I'd be very interested to read the experimental evidence that Angela cites above. This would give us a better idea of causation than what these other studies have shown.

Dear respected Dr.

Greetings

Many researchers concluded the association of short or long sleep duration in a U shaped manner to the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, also the day time sleepiness, sleep quality, failure to maintain sleep, and sleep debt had been linked to type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Hyder

The mechanism of sleep is regulated by the circadian rhythm regulator + sleep center which produce sleep ( by producing melatonin , adenosine & GABA ) & the awake center which inhibit sleep (  by producing catecholamines , serotonin etc. ) . The production of stress hormones due to Insomnia caused by awake center can lead to many diseases . Insomnia can cause hypertension , Insulin resistance , increase in hunger hormones leading to obesity & increased inflammation causing CVD . Therefore , it is very essential that adequate sleep is essential to prevent these diseases . The modern life is characterized by life style diseases & lack of sleep due to various factors is also an important risk factor .

Yes! Lack of sleep, physical excerscise, are stress!

Cause diabetes not quite sure. Trigger the condition in predisposed person , more likely.

On the light side if sleepless nights caused DM , we would all be sweet and diabetic.

Beyond the answers provided above, poor or lack of sleep has been strongly associated with high adrenocortical activity which on its own predisposes to the development of glucose intolerance and type 2 DM.

1. http://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/Abstract/1971/11000/Relationship_Between_Sleep_Habits,_Adrenocortical.3.aspx

2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697035/

3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3132857/

Best wishes.

One of the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes is being physically inactive.....could be slip.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [source] 

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Diabetes/causes-diabetes/Pages/index.aspx

Type 2 diabetes patients like me are advised to take diet food.

Sometimes the food in-take is so low that it is hard for us to get sound sleep.

Long walk helps me, but finding time with so many deadlines is a tough task!

Vitamin b complex / methylcobalmin helps in peripheral neuropathy which sometimes is related to many issues DM 2 persons have. Vitamin C by oranges is helpful for some.

Key is rigerous sugar control moderate exercises and diet which has most of essential nutrients. If your DM is diet controlled then intake indeed will be stricter , however person taking medications is expected to enjoy full spectrum of food albeit high sugars.

There is no direct link of sleeplessness causing start of diabetes in otherwise normal individual, however diabetes itself can easily cause sleepless nights.

 Sundarapandian,

Although no single solution can be the best fit for everyone with T2DM, one of the solutions that seems to work for many is to change the "type" of food you consume to reduce caloric intake, if weight loss is one of the goals, such that the quantity of food you consume is not drastically reduced - this helps with the perception of satiation. For example, cutting back on quantities of calorie rich food to mixed vegetable etc. 

A good friend who was diagnosed with T2DM about 3 years ago is an excellent example of controlling his diabetes and maintaining good health, which includes increasing muscle mass and tone, achieved his goal by changing his food habits. I realize that it is easily said than done but nevertheless, it can be done. We have long and dark winters in the Midwestern region of US so going out for running in the dark is a little difficult and given the human nature where stationary bicycles or treadmills become exceeding boring, he resolved to watch news or any other programs only as long as he was exercising (listening through a wireless headphone). He continues to use this practice and, as I mentioned, looks better than he has in years. 

Perhaps something to think about...   

As for the lack of adequate sleep causing T2DM in the long-run, the simplest explanation will be insulin resistance induced by chronically elevated levels of corticosterol, which should be, fortunately, eminently reversible.

The fact remains that sleep disorders are grossly underestimated in evaluation of diabetes . They should be included in the checklist of risk factors . In this era of tremendous of work pressure , the major casualty is getting a stress free sleep & the consequences can be devastating . Therefore , the question of sleep & diabetes is very relevant . Life style modifications should include good sleeping habits , along with diet & physical activities .

Singh,

Inadequate sleep, as you stated, is a consequence of stress of life-style - why not focus on the root cause rather than the consequence?

"In this era of tremendous of work pressure..."

It is somewhat presumptuous to assume that mankind that lived in the past had less or no stress. The causes may have changed but stress and ability to cope with it, I suspect, has always been part of humanity. [My wife's grandmother used to say that people who romanticize and miss the "good old days" have obviously not experienced going to an outhouse in the middle of night during Minnesotta winters when temperature is -20oF or lower with stiff wind. ;) ] 

I suspect that until slightly before the middle of the last century (pre-antibiotics availability), even minor cuts could have been a source of immense stress to parents. 

As for physician asking their patients with any known conditions that may be exacerbate by stress, I agree that they should be included in patient's history/records, and it is a normal routine here.

Tausif Alam,

The rise of non communicable diseases due to lifestyle changes & climate change due to various factors have highlighted the difficulties that future generations have to face with enormous health consequences . I agree that work pressure & trying to lead a ' good social life ' without awareness to consequences to health is a major stress . I also miss ' the good old days ' with more physical activities & less stressful work which was more emotionally satisfying . The tremendous progress in science has made life more comfortable , but has it improved our emotional & physical health is difficult to assess . Inability to have a comfortable sleep is evidence of the effect of stress on life .

Sundarapandian,

there is a bidirectional link between lack of sleep and diabetes. it has been published that insomnia is associated with higher levels of cortisol (stress hormone). This hormone increase the glycemia so if you have a genetic background for diabetes or if you are diabetic insomnia is a risk factor for hyperglycemia.

By the other hand it is well stablished that people with Type 2 diabetes have more prevalence of  Obstructive Sleep Apnea and a bad quality of sleep.

Yoga and mindfulness are disciplines that can help to get a better quality of sleep.

Dra Adriana Alvarez

Endocrinologist, Member of Psychosocial Aspects of Diabetes , EASD and Sociedad Latinoamericana de DIabetes

Argentina

Diabetes is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism. The risk of developing diabetes associated with sleep disturbances is comparable to that of traditional risk factors (overweight, family history, and physical inactivity). Lack of sleep is a risk factor to diabetes in predisposed individuals and not the cause.

See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26687279

Dear Sunda,

Diabetes and Depression is a comorbidity of high prevalence. Around 10 to 30 % of type 2 diabetes patients presented it and there is a 50 % of sub-diagnosis of depression in this population. Lack of sleep sometimes is a clinical syntom of Depression.

Singh:

"The tremendous progress in science has made life more comfortable , but has it improved our emotional & physical health is difficult to assess..."

Scientific progress is not magic, not everything can be fixed by pharmaceutical agents or a procedure. Some things have always been a matter of personal choices. Determination to achieve or acquire more is considered a positive trait by most for progress but it does have it's cost - stress! All of us at some point decide what is the correct balance in life and make adjustments accordingly. 

On a personal level, if you so wish, there is nothing stopping you to gradually add physical exercise back to your daily routine. I realize that changing habits is not trivial but it is far from impossible. [When I realized that my level of physical activities is reducing, I discontinued using cars for commuting about 15 years ago and ever since then I have been bicycling to work every day - although not enough, but useful.  ;) ]

Thank you Chinwe Ewenighi for bringing some evidence into this conversation. I note from that meta-analysis that the relative risk of sleep disturbance is around 1.48, while being overweight is 2.99. I also note that they included all sleep disturbances [short (8 h) sleeping time, insomnia (initiating or maintaining sleep), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and abnormal sleep timing].

Given that ALL sleep disturbances are associated with a slight tendency to increase risk of diabetes, the evidence of a lack of sleep being a key cause of diabetes is even less compelling.

Apart, from classical etiological factors.

Lack of Sleep leads to altered or reduced melatonin.

Melatonin shows positive correlation with insulin sensitivity.

Hence lack of sleep fuel insulin resistance or resistance to pre-diabetic or prediabetic to diabetic.

Sleeping is one of the energy recovery of the body. So, Lack of Sleep, leads to the energy disorders of the body eventually. Lack of Sleep is one of the risk factor for the body. If some patient has the predisposition for DM, then any risk factor including Lack of Sleep may cause for glucose intolerance. So, Lack of Sleep is non-specific risk factor.

Hamlet:

"To sleep, perchance to dream-

ay, there's the rub."

Hamlet (III, i, 65-68)

Hamlet (III, 67-70):

...For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause. There’s the respect

That makes calamity of so long life...

The Sleep-Diabetes Connection

Not sleeping? Check your blood sugar levels.

By Denise Mann

Whenever diabetes patients enter Lynn Maarouf’s office with out-of-control blood sugar levels, she immediately asks them how they are sleeping at night. All too often, the answer is the same: not well.

“Any time your blood sugar is really high, your kidneys try to get rid of it by urinating,” says Maarouf, RD, the diabetes education director of the Stark Diabetes Center at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. “So you are probably getting up and going to bathroom all night long -- and not sleeping well.”

Diabetes and sleep problems often go hand in hand. Diabetes can causesleep loss, and there’s evidence that not sleeping well can increase your risk of developing diabetes.

Low Sleep, High Blood Sugar

Maarouf says high blood sugar is a red flag for sleep problems among people with diabetes for another reason. “People who are tired will eat more because they want to get energy from somewhere,” she says. “That can mean consuming sugar or other foods that can spike blood sugar levels.”

“I really push people to eat properly throughout the day and get theirblood sugars under control so they sleep better at night,” Maarouf says. “If you get your blood sugar under control, you will get a good night sleep and wake up feeling fabulous with lots of energy.”

The Connection Between Lack of Sleep and Diabetes

“There is some evidence that sleep deprivation could lead to pre-diabetic state,” says Mark Mahowald, MD, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Hennepin County.

According to Mahowald, the body's reaction to sleep loss can resembleinsulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. Insulin’s job is to help the body use glucose for energy. In insulin resistance, cells fail to use the hormone efficiently, resulting in high blood sugar.

Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not properly use the insulin. When insulin is not doing its job, high blood sugar levels build in the body to the point where they can harm the eyes, kidneys, nerves, or heart.For more plz read at following link.

Regards

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/diabetes-lack-of-sleep

Diabetes (or any other pathology) and sleeping disorders go hand in hand, but not one of them isn't a cause each other. The cause is over them. The cause leads to the Diabetes, as a lack of insulin production, or insulin-resistance, or glucose intolerance, sleeping disorders, and other pathologies. The Cause is Dismetabolism which is a result in turn due to Individual Overweight and Individual Overeating. Therefore, in >90% cases a treatment of Diabetes doesn't result in improving dis-sleeping, and vice versa. Even if it is the so, it is a temporary result. It is my opinion for discussing.

Diabetes (or any other pathology) and sleeping disorders go hand in hand, but not one of them isn't a cause each other. The cause is over them. The cause leads to the Diabetes, as a lack of insulin production, or insulin-resistance, or glucose intolerance, sleeping disorders, and other pathologies. The Cause is Dis-metabolism which is a result in turn due to Individual Overweight and Individual Overeating. Therefore, in >90% cases a treatment of Diabetes doesn't result in improving dis-sleeping, and vice versa. Even if it is the so, it is a temporary result. It is my opinion for discussing.

Insulin resistance makes cells to save against collapse due to over-storing of fat inside the cells. Treatment practice evidences that if to spend the fat inside cells (by exercise or restriction diet), then insulin receptor restores own function and insulin resistance decreases to disappearance. We pay own attention not to there where we need... Sorry for my opinion, but I really concern about the problems...

Diabetes (or any other pathology) and sleeping disorders go hand in hand, but not one of them isn't a cause each other. The cause is over them. The cause leads to the Diabetes, as a lack of insulin production, or insulin-resistance, or glucose intolerance, sleeping disorders, and other pathologies. The Cause is Dis-metabolism which is a result in turn due to Individual Overweight and Individual Overeating. Therefore, in >90% cases a treatment of Diabetes doesn't result in improving dis-sleeping, and vice versa. Even if it is the so, it is a temporary result. It is my opinion for discussing.

Insulin resistance makes cells to save against collapse due to over-storing of fat inside the cells. Treatment practice evidences that if to spend the fat inside cells (by exercise or restriction diet), then insulin receptor restores own function and insulin resistance decreases to disappearance. We pay own attention not to there where we need... Sorry for my opinion, but I really concern about the problems...

"Based on this theory, any diabetes (type I or II) can be cured or ameliorated just by eating appropriate anti inflammatory food.

Of course they are selling a book with $37 telling what to do. Perhaps worth a try.."

I suppose you know what they say about a fool and his money...

Dear Sir

The association of both short & long sleep duration, sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness with diabetes mellitus type2 was concluded by many studies. Recently an experimental study showed that people with specific melatonin genes and receptors on the beta cells of the pancreas are more prone to type 2 diabetes,  this may direct the treatment towards these pathways. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2016.04.009

How Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Diabetes

The Dangers of Sleep Deprivation

On the sofa, in front of the TV. On the train, surrounded by fellow commuters. In the movie theater, before the film begins. If you can't stay awake in any — or all — of these places, it's a good bet you're sleep-deprived. This lack of shut-eye does more than make you chronically grouchy; it elevates your risk of high blood pressure and obesity. And now there's a whole new reason to put an end to your sleep starvation: Skimping on rest could increase your chances of getting type 2 diabetes, a disease once believed to be caused primarily by being overweight. In fact, just three consecutive nights of inadequate sleep can elevate a person's risk to a degree roughly equivalent to gaining 20 to 30 pounds, according to a 2007 study at the University of Chicago.

"Sleep may be as important as exercise or diet when it comes to developing diabetes," says Eve Van Cauter, MD, a professor of medicine and the senior author of the study. This revelation backs up previous research from Yale and the New England Research Institutes, which showed that people who clock six hours or less of sleep a night are twice as likely to develop diabetes in their lifetime as those who snooze seven hours. Translation? If you're not getting enough rest — even if you're slim and fit — you're putting your health in serious jeopardy.

The Connection Between Sleep and Diabetes

Here's what we know: Diabetes arises when the body can't properly break down blood sugar, aka glucose, leaving your cells starved for energy. One thing that greatly increases your chances of a blood-sugar malfunction is being overweight. Excess fat makes it harder for cells to properly use insulin, a hormone that helps keep glucose levels normal.

So what does sleep have to do with any of this? "When you don't get enough, your body appears to require more insulin to maintain normal glucose levels," says James Herdegen, MD, medical director of the Sleep Science Center at the University of Illinois in Chicago. "Sleep deprivation seems to alter the sympathetic nervous system — the body's stress-control center — and hormonal balances, all of which affects glucose regulation." Eventually, sleeplessness causes insulin-producing cells to stop working properly, elevating glucose levels and leaving you wide open to diabetes. "Adding to the problem is the fact that fatigue also jolts the sympathetic nervous system into high gear, throwing off its ability to regulate blood sugar," Dr. Cauter says. Indeed, numerous experts point out that it takes just two nights of sleeping four hours or less to temporarily disrupt the process.

Of course, there is the more familiar explanation for why fewer zzz's nudge you closer to diabetes: The less you sleep, the more likely you are to overeat. When you're tired, your body produces extra ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, and decreases its production of leptin, a hormone that flips on the "I'm full" switch in your brain. Not only do you wind up wanting to eat a lot, but you also crave more calories and carbohydrates to get a quick energy boost. (A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that when healthy people got just eight hours of shut-eye in a 48-hour period, their lowered leptin and raised ghrelin levels upped their appetite for unhealthy high-carb, high-calorie foods by as much as 45 percent.)

Sleep scarcity poses the greatest danger to those who are already predisposed to diabetes, such as anyone who's overweight or has a family history of the disease. "For those people, a few nights of poor sleep can push them over the edge," Dr. Cauter says. But even if your genes (or jeans) don't indicate danger, you're not off the hook: In the past 49 years, Americans have shaved a full hour off their nightly sleep schedule, moving from approximately eight hours in 1960, according to the American Cancer Society, to about seven hours today, finds the National Sleep Foundation. Furthermore, the organization reported that 67 percent of women regularly miss out on a good night's rest, possibly doubling their chances of getting diabetes, says Kenneth Snow, MD, acting director of the Adult Diabetes Program at Harvard Medical School's Joslin Diabetes Center.

Get the Sleep You Need and Avoid Diabetes

The first step to lowering your risk is figuring out the ideal amount of shut-eye you need. "Contrary to popular belief, eight hours isn't always the gold standard," Dr. Herdegen says. Anywhere from seven and a half to nine hours may be your sweet spot, depending on factors like genetics and age. For example, kids and teens need more than thirtysomethings but less than seniors. Your fitness level also plays a role. "Doing a 30-minute workout three times a week will likely improve the quality of your sleep, leaving you more refreshed with the same amount," Dr. Herdegen says. The general rule: If you feel rested when you wake up — regardless of hours asleep — that's a good marker that you're getting enough sleep. However, "if you feel sluggish during the day, you're putting yourself at risk," says Sam Fleishman, MD, medical director of the Sleep Center at Cape Fear Valley Health System in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Fortunately, the sleep-diabetes connection is reversible. Move your bedtime forward by 45, 30, or just 15 minutes each night. After about four or five days, you'll find yourself waking up a few minutes before the alarm goes off — that's your magic number. Still groggy? "Squeeze in extra sleep by napping," Dr. Herdegen says. "Be sure your nap is no more than 30 or 40 minutes long and you take it at least six hours before bedtime. Otherwise, it'll be harder to fall asleep that night."

And keep in mind that while your body can recover from short periods of sleep deprivation, it's harder to bounce back if the problem is chronic. "The more sleep you cut out over the long term, the harder it becomes to properly catch up on every hour you've lost," Dr. Herdegen says. "Your body interprets that sleep deficit as a constant stressor, and the chance you'll get diabetes grows." The best avoidance strategy: Sleep well, eat healthfully, and keep on exercising.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/conditions/diabetes/lack-of-sleep-can-lead-to-diabetes/

Dear @Sundarapandian, this research speak about the relation between lack of sleep and different diseases! Diabetes is one of many!

Lack of sleep is killing us!

A “catastrophic sleep-loss epidemic” is causing a host of potentially fatal diseases, according to professor Matthew Walker, director of the Centre for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley. In an interview with the Guardian, he warns that sleep deprivation is not being taken seriously enough by employers and everyday people alike — according to his research, there is a “powerful” link between a lack of sleep and cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other conditions. "No aspect of our biology is left unscathed by sleep deprivation,” he says...

https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/content/?keywords=A+lack+of+sleep+is+killing+us%2E&origin=FED_EMAIL&anchorTopic=81818&midToken=AQHLIjW6KB_ESw&trk=eml-email_feed_ecosystem_digest_01-hero-1-null&trkEmail=eml-email_feed_ecosystem_digest_01-hero-1-null-null-yeg7d~j81ybjik~we-null-neptune%2Fsearch%2Eresults%2Econtent&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Aemail_email_feed_ecosystem_digest_01%3Bvy7OTBE7TgSO3w18jwZvKA%3D%3D

I have no idea, this topic is out of my domain.

Thanks, Emad

Poor sleep quality, and failure to maintain sleep as the case in obstructive sleep apnea may affect glucose homeostasis by increasing stress hormones. The late chronotypes (night Owls) and shift workers are at risk if they work against circadian preference (circadian misalignment).