Diabetes Risk Linked to Insomnia and Oversleeping

Lack of sleep or oversleeping can lead to increased risk of diabetes with researchers Children's Hospital of Philadelphia suggesting that sleeping between seven and a half and eight and a half hours were best for maintaining optimal levels of insulin and blood sugar in the body. The researchers conducted the study on 62 teenagers, all of whom were obese and at an average age of 14 years. The teenagers were monitored over a period of 36 hours and their blood sugar levels were taken using oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), anthropometric measurements, overnight polysomnography, and a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT).

The researchers found that sleeping for 7.5 to 8.5 hours every night maintained stable glucose levels in the body and getting less or more sleep that the recommended time period increased the risk of getting diabetes.

“Our study found to keep glucose levels stable, the optimal amount of sleep for teenagers is 7.5 to 8.5 hours per night. In the meantime, our study reinforces the idea that getting adequate sleep in adolescence may help protect against type 2 diabetes”, lead researcher, Dr Dorit Koren said.

Source-Medindia