GETTING up earlier on workdays may
harm metabolic health, according to researchers.
Published in the Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology & Metabolism, the study found that routine sleep changes –
such as waking up early on weekdays – may increase the risk for metabolic
conditions, such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Previous research has already
established that sleep disruption can pose negative health implications. For
example, a study reported by Medical News Today earlier this year found that
shift workers – whose circadian rhythms are frequently disrupted due to
irregular working hours – are at greater risk for poor metabolic health.
However, the team involved in this
latest research – including Patricia M. Wong of the University of Pittsburgh,
PA – says their study is the first to show that even minor disruptions to sleep
schedules among healthy, working adults can harm metabolic health. Greater
social jet lag linked to poorer metabolic health
To reach their findings, Wong and
colleagues analyzed data of 447 adults aged 30-54 who were part of the Adult
Health and Behavior Project Phase 2 Study. Participants worked a minimum of 25
hours weekly outside of their home.
Subjects were required to wear a
wristband that measured their sleep activity and movement 24 hours a day for
one week. They also completed a questionnaire detailing their diet and exercise
habits.
Almost 85 per cent of the participants
had a later halfway point in the sleep cycle – known as mid-sleep – on
non-working days than on working days, according to the researchers, indicating
that these subjects awoke later on non-working days.
The researchers found that subjects
who had a greater shift between their sleep schedules on working and
non-working days – known as “social jet lag” – were more likely to have poor
cholesterol levels, larger waist circumference, higher body mass index (BMI),
higher fasting insulin levels and greater insulin resistance, compared with
those who had less social jet lag.
“These metabolic changes can
contribute to the development of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease,”
notes Wong.
The team says their results remained
even after accounting for participants’ diet, phys ical activity and other
sleep behaviors.
Commenting on the possible
implications of their findings, Wong says: “If future studies replicate what we
found here, then we may need to consider as a society how modern work and
social obligations are affecting our sleep and health. There could be benefits
to clinical interventions focused on circadian disturbances, workplace
education to help employees and their families make informed decisions about
structuring their schedules, and policies to encourage employers to consider
these issues.”
Source: ngrguardiannews.
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