The close link between sleep and obesity
Did you know that missing out on just 30 minutes of sleep can increase an individual’s risk for obesity by 17 percent? The longer a…
Just 30 minutes of sleep debt can hurt your health. (Shutterstock)
Did you know that missing out on just 30 minutes of sleep can increase an individual’s risk for obesity by 17 percent?
The longer a person goes with a sleep deficit, the higher the risk for obesity and insulin resistance climbs, according to new research presented at ENDO 2015, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Diego, Calif.
SEE ALSO: Insomnia remedies: How to get a better night’s sleep
“While previous studies have shown that short sleep duration is associated with obesity and diabetes, we found that as little as 30 minutes a day sleep debt can have significant effects on obesity and insulin resistance at follow-up,” lead study author Prof. Shahrad Taheri told MNT.
Researchers evaluated the data gathered on study participants after one year of monitoring sleep deficits. What they found was participants with any weekday sleep deficit were 72 percent more likely to obese compared to participants obtaining the optimal sleep amount. At the six-month mark in the study, individuals who were down on sleep had significantly increase their risks for insulin resistance and weight gain.
Overall, for every 30 minutes of sleep an individual was missing the risk for obesity increased by 17 percent and the risk for insulin resistance increased by 39 percent.
The results a a reminder that sleep loss is cumulative, and just sleeping extra on the weekends isn’t enough to negate a deficit that has been on-going for months or years.
“Sleep loss is widespread in modern society, but only in the last decade have we realized its metabolic consequences,” explained Taheri. “Our findings suggest that avoiding sleep debt could have positive benefits for waistlines and metabolism, and that incorporating sleep into lifestyle interventions for weight loss and diabetes might improve their success.”
A healthy weight isn’t the only thing affected by lack of sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation has both short- and long-term consequences, according to WebMD.
Insomnia puts you at-risk for serious health consequences. (Shutterstock)
Individuals who operate with a sleep debt almost immediately experience decreased performance and alertness, as well as memory and cognitive impairment. This “mental fog” can increase the likelihood of accidents, diminish job performance, hurt relationships, and increase the negative effects of stress. In the long-term, a lack of sleep increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
“Sleep loss and sleep disorders are among the most common yet frequently overlooked and readily treatable health problems,” state materials from National Institutes on Health. “It is estimated that 50 to 70 million Americans chronically suffer from a disorder of sleep and wakefulness, hindering daily functioning and adversely affecting health and longevity.”
SEE ALSO: The National Sleep Foundation changes snooze recommendations
Current sleep recommendations, update this year, suggest:
- Newborns (0-3 months): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day (previously it was 12-18).
- Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours (previously it was 14-15).
- Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours (previously it was 12-14).
- Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours (previously it was 11-13).
- School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours (previously it was 10-11).
- Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours (previously it was 8.5-9.5).
- Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours (new age category).
- Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours.
- Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours (new age category).
