Diabetes risk

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Getting enough sleep protects

How much sleep people need depends primarily on their age. While Babys still spend 16 to 18 hours a day sleeping, school-age children and adolescents only need an average of nine and a half hours a night. In adulthood, the required sleep duration is seven to a maximum of nine hours. Healthy sleep is characterised by a sufficient length and a sequence without interruptions so that the body can go through the various sleep stages several times a night without being disturbed. However, healthy sleep cannot be taken for granted.

In Germany, every second adult gets no more than six hours of sleep per night. In other Western countries, too, the average amount of sleep has been falling for several years and the number of people suffering from sleep deprivation has increased. Experts are observing this development with concern, as a maximum of six hours of sleep per night is not enough in the long term.

A lack of sleep has a negative effect on most of the body’s systems. In addition to tiredness, symptoms such as irritability, lack of energy and slower thinking can be observed the very next day. Many people feel more hungry after a short night, a reduced feeling of fullness and an increased craving for carbohydrate-rich foods. Years of sleep deprivation increase the risk of heart disease, obesity and depression.

Recently, sleep deprivation has also increasingly become the focus of diabetes research. Studies have well documented that the risk of early type 2 diabetes increases as a result of short nights with five to six hours of sleep. A study by Uppsala University shows just how much. Study participants who got five hours of sleep per night were 64 per cent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes in the following 12.5 years than test subjects with healthy sleep.

Lack of sleep is a problem for many people, especially during the week. At the weekend, people often try to make up for the lack of sleep. However, the brain cannot utilise these extra hours; it needs sufficient sleep at all times. However, it shouldn’t be too much either. Studies have shown that sleeping for too long - more than nine hours a night – also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

If people already have diabetes, a lack of sleep can also have consequences. It is undisputed that too little sleep has an impact on sugar metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Sleep disorders can lead to diabetes being less manageable than in diabetics with healthy sleep. In addition, studies show that sleep behaviour influences the risk of developing diabetes-related complications. According to a Danish study, a sleep duration of less than seven hours is associated with a 2.6-fold increased risk of microvascular disease such as retinopathy or nephropathy.

Diabetics are – even without realising it themselves – more frequently affected by sleep disorders than metabolically healthy people. According to studies, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome occurs in 30 to 40 per cent of all diabetics. Symptoms can include tiredness in the morning, feeling unwell or headaches. And last but not least, some medications or painful neuropathies also favour sleep disorders. Diabetics with suspected sleep disorders should always consult their doctor for clarification.

Sport is one of the most important preventative measures against type 2 diabetes and has a positive effect on people who already have diabetes. Any physical activity leads to insulin-independent glucose intake from the blood into the cells, thereby lowering blood sugar levels. Regular exercise improves the insulin sensitivity of the cells and helps to reduce the long-term blood glucose level HbA1c in the medium term.

Another positive effect of regular physical activity, preferably in the fresh air, is the reduction of stress hormones and fatigue. This is another reason why exercise is strongly recommended for people who do not get restful sleep or have sleep disorders. The following tips have also proven effective for customers with sleep problems:

• avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch
• avoid alcohol as far as possible and do not use it as a sleeping aid
• avoid »heavy« meals in the evening
• allow enough time to »wind down« before going to bed. During this time, both physical and mental exertion should be reduced
• introduce a personal bedtime ritual
• ensure the bedroom is quiet and dark
• don’t look at the clock at night if possible
• only go to bed when you are clearly tired. If sleep does not come within about 15 minutes, it is best to get up and go to another room; repeat this process as often as necessary until tiredness leads to falling asleep

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