Excessive or Insufficient Sleep Both Harmful: Both excessive and insufficient sleep can potentially lead to harmful consequences for health, affecting millions of individuals worldwide.
In a groundbreaking study conducted by scientists in Denmark, nearly 400 participants were monitored over a 10-day period to assess their sleep habits.
Excessive or Insufficient Sleep Both Harmful for Health
This pivotal study was conducted by researchers from Odense University Hospital in Denmark, including Mette Johansen and Thomas Olesen.
The research focused on 396 individuals newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, examining how varying sleep durations affected their vascular health.
Participants wore sleep trackers for 10 days to measure sleep duration.
The study categorized participants into three groups based on their nightly sleep duration. Those sleeping less than 7 hours, those sleeping between 7 to 9 hours (considered optimal), and those sleeping more than 9 hours per night.
Researchers uncovered evidence of microvascular damage affecting small blood vessels, which can lead to more severe health issues later on.
Additionally, the likelihood of developing diabetes was found to increase with varying sleep durations. This risk includes potential vision loss and reduced mobility due to joint issues.
Short Sleep Duration (<7 hours): Among the 12% of participants who slept less than seven hours per night, 38% exhibited signs of vascular damage.
This group faced a 2.6 times higher risk of microvascular disease compared to those with optimal sleep durations.
Optimal Sleep Duration (7 to <9 hours): This group, comprising 60% of participants, had the lowest incidence of microvascular disease at 18%.
Long Sleep Duration (≥9 hours): Of the participants who slept nine hours or more, 31% showed signs of vascular damage, with a 2.3 times higher risk compared to the optimal sleep group.
The study aimed to determine the detrimental effects of both insufficient and excessive sleep on health.
The findings from this study align with a growing body of evidence linking sleep patterns to various health outcomes.
Insufficient sleep has long been associated with increased risks of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and mental health disorders.
Conversely, excessive sleep has been linked to heightened risks of chronic conditions, including heart disease and stroke.
Conclusion
Both short and long sleep durations are linked to higher rates of microvascular disease in recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients.
Age increases the risk for those with short sleep durations. Lifestyle changes, including sleep improvement, may benefit these patients. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
To ensure you’re getting enough sleep, practice good sleep hygiene. Put away electronic devices an hour before bedtime and do something relaxing.
Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. Avoid stimulants like caffeine in the late afternoon or evening and alcohol and heavy meals before bedtime.
Keep your bedroom quiet, cool, and dark. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days, which can improve both sleep and overall health.
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