An interesting study evaluated quantity of sleep and bedtime and found interesting risk associations with not only type 2 diabetes but also cardiovascular disease.

Specifically sleep deprivation (less than 7 to 9 hours per night) caused the beta cells of your pancreas (the cells that produce insulin) to become less responsive. The results in blood sugar levels remaining elevated after a meal which then leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Another aspect of insufficient sleep was the alteration of your hunger hormones: more ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and less leptin (the satiety hormone). The result was more hunger and less satiation, which leads to weight gain, insulin resistance and a host of  diseases which I will mention below.

Chronic sleep loss raises HgA1c levels - the blood value measured to determine if you have type 2 diabetes. However, this not only coincides the risk for type 2 diabetes but also heart disease because the elevated HgA1c levels siffen blood vessels. A link to cardiovascular disease and elevated blood pressure.

In addition to inadequate hours of sleep, the study also found that a bedtime later than midnight came with the same set of issues even if the number of hours slept was adequate.

In other words the risk we've been discussing correlated to inadequate number of hours AND bedtime.

If bedtime was after midnight AND the hours were insufficient that was double jeopardy, yielding even worse health outcomes.

Insulin resistance which is created by either of these sleep issues is associated with several degenerative diseases including: type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, PCOS, fatty liver, certain cancers (including breast and colon), and metabolic syndrome (defined as elevated blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, low HDL, high triglycerides, and abdominal adiposity).

Prioritizing sleep quantity and bedtime is a valuable step to take to move away from the ill health caused by metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance which is literally plaguing Americans.

Here are some sleep tips to get you started:
1. Get bright morning light when you wake up. Go outside and enjoy a little sun.
2 In the evening use blue light blocking glasses to help your brain get ready to rest.
3. Sleep in a cool, dark room.
4. Eat no food 3 hours before exercise.
5. Prioritize exercise 4 to 5 days per week, especially resistance training.
6. Limit caffeine to a cup in the morning only.

If you need help with you sleep we'd be happy to help you.
Give us a call for a consultation: call 727-335-0400.