Impact of Sleep on Glucose Metabolism in Individuals With Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review

The obesity epidemic has coincided with chronic sleep deprivation. Sleep disturbances may contribute to metabolic dysfunction in individuals with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m². This review investigates associations between sleep patterns and glucose metabolism in this population.

A PRISMA-guided search across five databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, CINAHL, and MEDLINE) was conducted through January 2026. Studies examined sleep patterns and glucose metabolism in adults with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m². Quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.0 and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Eighteen studies (7715 adults) were included from 2993 records: crossover trials (n = 7), cross-sectional studies (n = 8), controlled trials (n = 2), one cohort study. Twelve studies used objective measures; six subjective assessments. Most studies examined sleep restrictions; four extensions. Findings for sleep restriction were mixed: Three of five studies showed reduced insulin sensitivity or impaired glucose regulation, while two found no significant effect. One pilot study found one night of restriction did not affect postprandial lipemia. Poor sleep quality was associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes, including higher BMI; fasting glucose associations were less consistent. Methodological quality was moderate to high.

Sleep duration and quality are associated with glucose metabolism in individuals with overweight/obesity. Sleep optimization should be integrated into metabolic health.