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Diabetes linked to lack of sleep?
Author: Jonathan Warren
Individuals who don’t get enough shut-eye each night may be at a greater risk of experiencing high blood sugar levels and Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by the American Diabetes Association.
The study published last week in Journal Diabetes Care (September 20th) looked at a cross-section of 62 obese adolescents with an average age of 14. Researchers found that higher blood sugar levels were detected in participants who failed to get sufficient sleep the night before.
However, researchers failed to pin down the exact cause of the link and remain unsure as to whether it can be put down to factors such as changes in the regulation of blood sugar, or even the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
Dr. Dorit Koren, author of the study and a paediatric endocrinologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said: “Our study found to keep glucose levels stable, the optimal amount of sleep for teenagers is 7.5 to 8.5 hours per night.”
The doctor added: “[It] reinforces the idea that getting adequate sleep in adolescence may help to protect against Type 2 diabetes.”
