New research has suggested people whom have trouble sleeping face an increased risk of type-2 diabetes, according to Diabetes Research WA.
Diabetes Research WA executive director Sherl Westlund said a Harvard study released earlier this year highlighted that women who experienced a number of sleep concerns were at significantly greater risk of type 2 diabetes.
“In this research, which took into account health information from more than 133,000 women, it was found those who reported being affected by sleeping difficulty, frequent snoring, sleeping less than six hours and sleep apnoea or rotating shift work, were four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes over the 10 years of the study,” she said.
“And another study released this year showed teenagers who sleep less than eight hours a night are more likely to have fat around the midsection and to be resistant to insulin, which can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.
source : colliemail.com.au
“That’s on top of earlier research showing people over the age of 45 who slept less than six hours or more than 10 hours were more likely to have diabetes.”
Sleep Health Foundation chair Professor David Hillman said increased awareness of the link between sleep and diabetes would help people to improve their health.
“We have known for some time that men and women with type 2 diabetes are at higher risk of sleep apnoea and other sleep difficulties, such as restless legs syndrome, and it appears likely that the association between diabetes and poor sleep goes both ways,” he said.
“Inadequate sleep in all its forms – too little of it, sleeping at abnormal times as happens with shiftwork, and disrupted sleep as seen in sleep apnoea – appears to increase insulin resistance, predisposing to diabetes.
“It’s powerful new knowledge which suggests people need to pay attention to their sleep quality and quantity as doing so could help in the battle to keep type 2 diabetes at bay.”
Diabetes week will take place from July 10 to 16 this year.
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