The most common factors believed to contribute to type 2 diabetes have always been too much food and too little exercise. However, sleep deprivation seems to also play a role in abnormal glucose metabolism.
According to a study published in the December issue of the journal SLEEP, subjects who reported sleeping five or fewer hours each night were significantly more likely to have diabetes over the follow-up period compared to subjects who reported sleeping seven hours. These findings held true even after the researchers adjusted for variables such as physical activity, depression, alcohol consumption, ethnicity, education, marital status, age, obesity and history of hypertension. According to sleep experts, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well-rested. Adolescents and teenagers need about nine hours each night, younger kids require 10-11 hours a night and children in pre-school 11-13 hours. The *American Academy of Sleep Medicine <http://www.aasmnet.org/>* offers the following tips on how to get a good night's sleep: - Follow a consistent bedtime routine. - Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime. - Get a full night's sleep every night. - Avoid foods or drinks that contain caffeine, as well as any medicine that has a stimulant, prior to bedtime. - Do not go to bed hungry, but don't eat a big meal before bedtime either. - Avoid any rigorous exercise within six hours of your bedtime. - Make your bedroom quiet, dark and a little bit cool. - Get up at the same time every morning.
