Volume 29, Issue 166, December 2025

The effect of sleep quality on the development of obesity and insulin resistance - a review of current data

Agnieszka Kowalska^♦, Milena Kędzierska, Michał Biernacki, Michał Wójcicki

Collegium Medicum at Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Agnieszka Kowalska, ul. Jana Chryzostoma Paska 10/30, 25-108 Kielce, Poland

ABSTRACT

Complex neuroendocrine mechanisms underlie the relationship between sleep disturbances and an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. For example, glucose metabolism is regulated differently depending on the sleep phase (NREM vs. REM), and an imbalance between them results in impaired glucose tolerance. Sleep deprivation also triggers a cascade of hormonal changes that are detrimental to body shape and metabolism. Cortisol levels rise, which is a factor that promotes the development of insulin resistance, but on the other hand, appetite hormones become deregulated: leptin (responsible for satiety) levels decrease, and ghrelin (which stimulates hunger) levels increase. As a result, even short-term sleep deprivation intensifies appetite, especially for high-calorie foods, which facilitates weight gain. Insufficient sleep acts as a stressor, activating the HPA axis, which also impairs glucose tolerance. The relationship between obesity and sleep is bidirectional. Obese individuals report poor sleep quality much more frequently (79% of subjects) than the control group (36%), and sleep duration of less than 7 hours has been linked to weight gain. Shift work is a significant risk factor, as it disrupts circadian rhythms, increasing the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Keywords: obesity, sleep quality, insulin resistance, glucose metabolism, sleep hygiene

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e230ms3745

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Published: 23 December 2025