Sleep Deprived? Try This Type of Exercise.

women up close working out

A Review by Alyssa Bialowas

Sleep deprivation is becoming more and more prevalent these days and unfortunately can have major health implications. Sleep influences everything from your mood to your weight to the sensitivity of tissues to insulin, and a lack of sleep can result in insulin resistance (De Souza et al. 2017). On top of health benefits such as increasing energy levels and lowering your risk of disease, regular physical exercise has been shown to minimize the negative impact of insulin resistance and regulate glucose metabolism (De Souza et al. 2017). Since our busy schedules are contributing to both a lack of sleep and physical exercise, high-intensity interval training, which involves a shorter training time, could be the key to minimizing the damage done by sleep deprivation.

The Study

11 healthy males between the ages of 18 and 35 who declared sleeping 7-8 hours a night took part in this study. Each participant was submitted to four different conditions:

(1) One single night of regular 8-hour sleep (RS)

(2) 24 hours of sleep deprivation (SD)

(3) HIIT followed by regular sleep (HIIT+RS)

(4) HIIT followed by sleep deprivation (HIIT+SD).

In the HIIT+RS condition, subjects trained for two weeks and after the last day of training had a regular night’s sleep. Each session consisted of 8-12 x 60-second intervals at 100% of peak power output. After one month, all participants returned to begin the HIIT+SD condition. They repeated the training protocol and after training finished, they were deprived sleep for 24 consecutive hours.

Related Article: 3 Ways Sleep Impacts Sports Performance

The Results

In each experimental condition, tests for glucose, insulin, cortisol, free fatty acids, and insulin sensitivity measured by an oral glucose tolerance test, were performed. Sleep deprivation increased glycemia, insulin levels, free fatty acids concentrations, and basal metabolism. No differences were found in the concentrations of cortisol. However, HIIT before 24 hours of sleep deprivation diminished the increase in glucose, insulin and fatty acids. The study also found that two weeks of HIIT was efficient in improving the athletic performance of participants. In the 4 km test, the participants decreased their times by 7% in the HIIT+RS condition and 9% in the HIIT+SD condition. In the 30 km test, the participants decreased their times by 1.2% in the HIIT+RS condition and 11% in the HIIT+SD condition.

The Takeaway

This study suggests that those who participate in HIIT are not affected by the stress of sleep deprivation. HIIT prior to sleep deprivation attenuated the increase in glucose, insulin and fatty free acids in the blood. Further research should include a larger sample size and other populations to determine the strength of these findings.

Related Article: Exercise-Induced Sleep Improvements

References

De Souza, J.F.T., Dáttilo, M., De Mello, M.T., Tufik, S., and Antunes, H.K.M. (2017). “High Intensity Interval Training Attenuates Insulin Resistance Induced by Sleep Deprivation in Healthy Males.” Frontiers in Physiology, 8: 992.

You Might Like:

Ice hole polar plunge

The Science of Temperature Therapy

Temperature therapy (also known as “thermal therapy” or “thermotherapy”) involves the use of heat or cold to improve health and function. Interestingly, thermotherapy has been around for centuries, with ancient cultures regularly using hot springs,...

The Predictors of Longevity You Need to Care About

Living a long and healthy life is a universal aspiration, and with the publication of Peter Aittia’s new book “Outlive”, it has never been a bigger focus. With this has come the realisation that, while...
Women training together

How Overtraining and Undertraining Impacts Hormonal Health

While maintaining a healthy hormonal balance is essential for overall health and wellbeing, it is an often-overlooked component of women’s health. Hormones play a vital role in regulating various bodily functions, including metabolism, energy, mood,...
Upper body strength

Upper Body Strength in Post-Menopausal Women

Menopause is a unique time in the human life, and with it comes a myriad of changes that can have wide reaching health implications. However, over the last 20 years we have seen a strong...
Exercise partners congratulating each other during workout

Exercise After Menopause: What You Need To Know

Menopause is one of the most significant events in a woman’s life, and with it comes several changes that can affect function. Moreover, the post-menopausal period comes with many health considerations that can have a...
Sleep

Best Time to Work Out Based on Sleep Animal

Woman performing HIIT outside

Can HIIT Improve Mental Health?

Someone jump roping

How to Incorporate HIIT in Every Workout

Woman eating chocolate bar.

Does Dark Chocolate Aid In Muscle Recovery?

man asleep on a bed with white sheets

How Intermittent Fasting Affects Sleep

man stretching on a log

The Ketogenic Diet: How It Affects Athletic Performance

The word keto spelled with food

The Effects of Exercising On a High Fat Diet

ab roller

How Core Strength Effects Athletic Performance

two women

Generation 100: The 3 Year Follow Up

Woman standing on the beach in athletic gear pointing at the sky

The Best Workout Combination: Endurance Training and HIIT

Leave a Reply