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Small experimental studies have revealed adverse effects of reduced sleep duration on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. To explore the effects of sleep restriction on metabolic activity in peripheral tissue, investigators randomized seven lean, healthy young adults (aged 18–30) to undergo 4 weeks each of normal and restricted sleep (8.5 and 4.5 hours, respectively), in random order and under controlled conditions, 4 weeks apart. The primary endpoint was change in levels of phosphorylated Akt — an important step in the insulin-signaling pathway — in abdominal subcutaneous adipocytes.
Phosphorylation of Akt was 30% lower after restricted sleep than after normal sleep (P=0.01). This reduction coincided with a 16% reduction in total-bod…