Losing as little 30 minutes of sleep during the weekdays can have major consequences for body weight and metabolic function. That was the upshot of a new study recently presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.For this evaluation, 522 patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes completed seven-day sleep diaries, and their weekday sleep debt was calculated. Participants also had their weight status along with a key blood marker for metabolic function periodically measured over the next 12 months.  At the beginning of the study, those who reported weekday sleep debt were 72 percent more likely to be obese versus those with no weekday sleep debt. At 12 months, for every 30 minutes of weekday sleep deficit reported, the risk of obesity increased by 17 percent, and the risk of poor metabolic function increased by 39 percent. These findings add to a rapidly mounting pile of published research that tells us that adequate sleep is essential for weight control and protection from metabolic diseases, like type 2 diabetes. Suffice to say; you should consider sleep sacred for all-over health! Click here to see the best science-based strategies for improving your sleep.