A weekend lie-in could trigger diabetes. Even routine sleep changes such as waking up early on Monday morning can raise the risk of developing metabolic problems such as diabetes and heart disease, a new study finds.
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People who work in shifts are more likely to develop metabolic problems than people with regular daytime jobs, because of the continual disruption to the circadian system.
Sleep disruption is one of the risk factors of diabetes and obesity.
An estimated 35.1 million Americans are obese, and 29 million Americans suffer from diabetes.
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"Social jetlag refers to the mismatch between an individual's biological circadian rhythm and their socially imposed sleep schedules. Other researchers have found that social jetlag relates to obesity and some indicators of cardiovascular function," said Patricia M. Wong, MS, of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
"However, this is the first study to extend upon that work and show that even among healthy, working adults who experience a less extreme range of mismatches in their sleep schedule, social jetlag can contribute to metabolic problems. These metabolic changes can contribute to the development of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease."
Researchers analyzed 447adults aged 30-54 who took part in Adult Health and Behavior Project Phase 2 study. All of them worked a minimum of 25 hours per week away from their home.
All the participants were given wristbands to wear, which measured their sleep and movement 24 hours a day for a week. Questionnaires were used to assess their diet and exercise habits.
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Almost 85% had a later halfway point in their sleep cycle - a measurement known as midsleep - on free days compared to work days.
The other 15% had an earlier midsleep on free days than on work days.
Those with a greater misalignment of sleep schedules between working and non-working days were more likely to have poor cholesterol levels, larger waist circumference, higher BMI (body mass index) and be more resistant to insulin compared to those who had less social jetlag.
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The relationship remained even when the measurements were adjusted to account for variation in other sleep measures and health behaviors such as physical activity and calorie intake.
"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," Wong said.
"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."
The research, which was supported by National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, was published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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