Lack of good sleep has been linked to a higher chance of developing diabetes, according to researchers. But the reason why has remained a mystery. We are getting closer to an answer now thanks to new research from a group of sleep scientists at the University of California, Berkeley.
Deep-sleep waves in the brain at night can influence the body’s response to insulin, and this, in turn, enhances blood sugar management the following day, according to the researchers, who have discovered a probable mechanism that explains why and how this occurs in humans. The study results were released in Cell Reports Medicine.
According to Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley and the study’s senior author, “These synchronized waves in the brain act like an index finger that moves the first a domino that initiates a related chain reaction that propagates from the brain, down to the heart, and ultimately out to alter the body’s control of blood sugar.” A rise in the body’s response to the hormone insulin, which consequently and advantageously lowers blood glucose levels, is predicted by the interaction of two brain waves, spindles of sleep and slow waves.
According to the researchers, this is an intriguing development because sleep is a changeable lifestyle component that might now be employed as a therapeutic and painless supplementary treatment for those with Type 2 diabetes or high blood sugar. In addition to the putative novel mechanistic pathway, scientists also identified another advantage.
The study’s co-author, Vyoma D. Shah, a researcher at Walker’s Centre for Human Sleep Science, said that the findings “beyond revealing a new mechanism additionally demonstrate that these deep-sleep brain waves might be used as an accurate indicator of someone’s immediate blood sugar levels, more so compared to traditional sleep metrics.” The findings also offer a new, non-invasive tool—deep sleep brain waves—for measuring and forecasting someone’s blood sugar control, increasing this discovery’s therapeutic significance.
The team’s findings point to a progression of events that may assist in clarifying how and why certain brain waves associated with deep sleep are associated with greater blood sugar regulation. First, they discovered that a switch in the nervous system of the body state to the more tranquil and quiescent branch, known as the parasympathetic nervous system, was predicted by a greater and greater connection of the deep-sleep brain waves. They used heart rate variability as a surrogate to quantify the change in the body and the transition to this low-stress state. The team then focused on the last phase of blood sugar balance.
The scientists also found that this profound sleep switch to the soothing extent of the central nervous system also predicted an increase in the body’s sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar levels by telling cells to take up glucose from the circulatory system, preventing a dangerous blood sugar spike. For those attempting to avoid hyperglycemia and Type 2 diabetes, this is crucial.
According to Walker, “There is a series of linked associations in the electrical instability of sleep at night, which means deep-sleep waves signal an adjustment and soothing of your nervous system during the next day. “Therefore, your body’s sensitivity to insulin is coupled with this very excellent associated relaxing impact on your neurological system, leading to more effective blood sugar regulation the following day.
The researchers then reproduced the same outcomes after they looked at a different set of 1,900 participants. The research is incredibly fascinating, according to the experts, considering its possible clinical relevance in the future. Patients may find it challenging to follow existing diabetes therapies on occasion. The same is true for the suggested lifestyle modifications, which include new dietary practices and regular exercise. But for the majority of people, sleeping is an essentially painless experience.
