Sleep and Circadian Rhythms and Metabolism

Diabetes and obesity remain two of the most prominent diseases and causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and across the world. Approaches to curbing these epidemics primarily revolve around lifestyle adjustments to diet and exercise. However, recent research continues to further inform the important role that sleep deficiency and sleep health behaviors play in diabetes, obesity, and health. Both sleep restriction and circadian disruption represent risk factors for weight gain and diabetes, via physiological mechanisms including adverse impacts on glucose and lipid metabolism, and energy expenditure. This chapter summarizes evidence from epidemiological and experimental laboratory studies regarding a role for sleep health in metabolism, obesity, and diabetes.