With their weekdays busy, most people look forward to the weekend to catch up on many things, including sleep. However, researchers have found that changing sleeping patterns raises risks of developing metabolic problems like heart disease and diabetes.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, researchers reiterated that shift work contributes to metabolic risk because it continually disrupts the circadian rhythm, which makes shift workers likelier to develop coronary heart disease as well as Type 2 diabetes compared to their regular-shift counterparts.
Based on their findings, the researchers saw that those who had greater discrepancies in sleeping patterns during work and free days had the tendency to have higher insulin resistance and body mass indexes, larger waist sizes and poorer cholesterol profiles. Even when the researchers made adjustments to take into consideration variations in other health behaviors and sleep measures, the association remained.
"We may need to consider as a society how modern work and social obligations are affecting our sleep and health," said Wong, adding clinical interventions to normalize circadian rhythm and workplace education to aid in structuring work-life balance may be able to help.
It looks like a lot of work still needs to be done to help people rest properly but, for now, it is generally a good idea to find time to log in more hours of sleep. Still, what the study is highlighting is that more than compensating for lost hours of sleep, it is more beneficial to tailor a more regular sleeping pattern and stick to it.
To help you do just that, consider the following:
- Create a sleep-inducing environment in your bedroom by keeping it cool, dark and quiet. Aim for a temperature between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and ensure the room is well-ventilated. Use blackout shades or you can wear an eye mask to block out light. For peace and quiet, invest in earplugs or white noise appliances.
- Establish a pre-bedtime routine. Transition to bedtime smoothly with some relaxing activities within an hour or so of your usual bedtime. Take a bath, for instance, to promote a drop in body temperature that induces drowsiness. Steer clear of stimulating activities to help your body wind down and get ready for bed.
- Don't force sleep. Pressuring yourself to sleep will only make you frustrated. If you haven't fallen asleep within 20 minutes of getting into bed, stand up and do a relaxing activity until you're sleepy. If you nap in the afternoon, cut back to see if doing so will help you fall asleep faster at night.
Photo: Quinn Dombrowski | Flickr
