(Reuters Health) - People who get less than six hours of sleep a night may be more likely to have risk factors that increase their odds of diabetes, heart disease and strokes, a Korean study suggests.
This combination of risk factors - including high blood sugar, high cholesterol, extra fat around the midsection, high blood pressure and excess amounts of fats in the blood - is known as metabolic syndrome.
“The 'short' sleepers should be aware of the risks of developing metabolic syndrome, which could lead them to suffer from life threatening and chronic diseases,” lead author Dr. Jang Young Kim of Yonsei University in South Korea said by email.
Kim’s team followed about 2,600 adults for more than two years and found that participants who didn’t get at least six hours of sleep a night were 41 percent more likely to develop metabolic syndrome than individuals who got six to eight hours of shuteye.
The findings are drawn from two lifestyle surveys that included questions about sleep habits. The surveys were administered once between 2005 and 2008 and again sometime between 2008 and 2011. Study participants also underwent medical exams and shared their medical history.
After an average follow-up of 2.6 years, about 560 people in the study, or 22 percent of participants, developed metabolic syndrome, according to the results in the journal Sleep.
Short sleep duration was linked to about 30 percent increased risk of high blood sugar and excess belly fat, as well as 56 percent higher odds of hypertension, compared to those who slept longer.
One shortcoming of the study is its reliance on participants to accurately recall and report on their sleep habits, medical conditions and lifestyle behaviors, the authors acknowledge. It also lacked data on the quality of sleep.
Still, the findings are consistent with other studies that have found an association between sleep duration, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, said Kristen Knutson, a sleep researcher at the University of Chicago who wasn’t involved in the study.
“The strength of this study is that it is a prospective study, which means short sleep was associated with the development of metabolic syndrome,” Knutson said by email. “This is important because the sleep duration was measured before the people had the disease.”
To avoid the ill effects of insufficient sleep, patients should take a close look at their daily routines and make sure they allow enough time in their schedule for rest, Knutson said. Some things like time for work, school or childcare may not be optional, but other things like time for television or movies might be replaced with more rest.
“We don’t know yet if it is possible to reverse the effects” of too little sleep, Knutson added. “Still, adopting a healthy lifestyle which includes appropriate sleep, a healthy diet and sufficient exercise will be beneficial to your health.”
SOURCE: bit.ly/1W6UdCS Sleep, online September 25, 2015.
26 Ways to Sleep Better
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Open Image ModalSharper Memory When you're awake, your brain naturally builds up beta-amyloid (proteins that are a strong biomarker for Alzheimer's disease), but while you sleep, the brain flushes out some of those toxins. According to a recent study, older adults who reported regularly getting adequate rest had fewer beta-amyloid deposits in their brains than those who got less sleep.
Stronger Heart A study of more than 30,000 adults found that those who slept for roughly seven hours were far less likely to develop heart disease than those who averaged only five hours. Skimping on sleep may disrupt your hormones and metabolism, and increase blood pressure and inflammation.
Slimmer Waistline Brain scans in healthy adults reveal that a good night's sleep impacts areas of the brain that regulate your desire for high-calorie foods, according to 2013 research in Nature Communications. When presented with food options, study subjects wanted treats containing an average of 600 fewer calories when they were well rested compared with when they were sleepy.
—Jessica Migala
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Open Image ModalTelling yourself you got a good night's rest may make a difference in how you think and feel: In a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, scientists told one group of subjects that they had logged an above-average amount of REM sleep, while a second group was told they didn't get enough. Then everyone was given a test that measured their cognitive function. The above-average sleepers performed better than those told they'd slept poorly. "Simply hearing that you had high-quality sleep may trigger automatic responses, like heightened energy, that your brain has come to associate with being well rested," says study coauthor Kristi Erdal, PhD.
—Jessica Migala
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Open Image ModalBy the time children reach adolescence, they may begin sleeping less—but homework isn't the only culprit. In a recent poll, 16 percent of kids said they woke up to send or read texts and e-mails. Compare your child's sleep habits with the stats:
Age: 6-11Hours of sleep most kids are getting: 9 or more Hours of sleep they need: 10-11
Age: 12-14Hours of sleep most kids are getting: 8 Hours of sleep they need: 9-10
Age: 15-17Hours of sleep most kids are getting: 7 or less Hours of sleep they need: 9-10
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Open Image ModalBefore you hit the sack, cue up a soothing playlist. Research in the International Journal of Nursing Studies found that when insomniacs listened to relaxing music for 45 minutes prior to bedtime, they spent more time in REM sleep.
—Jihan Thompson
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Open Image ModalIn one of the first studies to examine how room temperature impacts people with sleep apnea—a condition that affects an estimated 18 million or more Americans—researchers discovered that when the thermostat was set at 61 degrees instead of 75, subjects slept on average 30 minutes longer and reported feeling significantly more alert the next morning.
—Jihan Thompson
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Open Image ModalExhaustion can be a sign that you're not just sleepy, you may be sick. If nothing helps you feel rested, one of these conditions may be to blame.
Anemia A telltale sign of iron deficiency (the number one nutritional deficiency in the world) is fatigue, caused by a lack of red blood cells. If you're anemic, your doctor may suggest dietary changes, like loading up on iron-rich meats and veggies.
Diabetes When your body is no longer able to effectively convert glucose into energy, you can eventually feel weak and wiped out.
Fibromyalgia More than 75 percent of people who suffer from this disorder, which causes widespread muscle pain, report having trouble sleeping. Why? According to some brain wave studies, the disease may cut off time spent in stages III and IV of sleep, when the most restorative rest occurs.
—Jihan Thompson
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