This small randomized trial looked at whether sleeping longer helps people with overweight or obesity who habitually get less than seven hours of sleep each night. The study involved 15 people in the extended sleep group and 14 in the habitual sleep group. Participants followed their usual sleep schedules or extended their time in bed for about six weeks. Researchers measured changes in sleep patterns and how well the body uses insulin across multiple organs.
The group that extended their sleep stayed in bed an average of 1.3 hours more per night compared to the habitual group. Sleep duration increased by 1.1 hours per night for the extended sleep group. Day-to-day variability in sleep and subjective feelings of sleep health also improved more in the extended sleep group.
However, the study found no differences between the groups regarding multiorgan insulin sensitivity or glycemic control. No safety concerns were reported, and no participants discontinued the study due to adverse events. Because the trial was small and focused on a specific population, these results should be viewed with caution. Readers should understand that while more sleep time helped sleep metrics, it did not show a benefit for insulin sensitivity in this short-term study.