Two Nights of Recovery Sleep Reverses the Effects of Short-term Sleep Restriction on Diabetes Risk

Sleep restriction is associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes (1–3). Here, we investigated whether only 2 nights of recovery sleep, as may occur on weekends, reverses the negative effects of short-term sleep restriction on glucose homeostasis. Nineteen healthy young lean men were studied under controlled laboratory conditions during normal sleep and sleep restriction in a randomized order, as previously reported (1,2,4). The institutional review board of The University of Chicago approved the protocol, and all participants gave written informed consent. During normal sleep, participants were allowed 8.5 h in bed (2300–0700) for 4 consecutive nights. During sleep restriction, participants were allowed 4.5 h in bed (0100–0530) for 4 consecutive nights, immediately followed by recovery sleep for 2 consecutive nights with 12 h in bed on the first night (2200–1000) and 10 h in bed on the second night (2200–0800). A frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (ivGTT) was performed at 1000 after 4 nights of normal sleep, 4 nights of sleep restriction, and 2 nights …