Maintaining metabolic health is important for the body. Having a regular sleep schedule could affect metabolic syndromes. Researchers have recently conducted a study showing how irregular sleep schedules could increase certain metabolic risks factors. Metabolic syndromes include high blood pressure levels, obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and high cholesterol. It is common to have just one of these risk factors but with metabolic syndrome, most doctors look for up to three or more factors.
The research consisted of a longitudinal study with 2,003 participants that were studied during the years of 2010 to 2013. Their ages ranged from 45 years to 84 years of age. The participants wore wrist trackers for around 7 days to record one week of daily activity and sleep activity. They also kept a sleep journal or diary to answer questions about there activity that they would partake in. Participants kept sleep habits and health information as well.
Finally, the results concluded that “for every 1 hour of day-to-day variation in bedtime or length of sleep, there was a 27% raised risk of developing metabolic risk factors”. (Dr. Paddock) Participants with the biggest variation in sleep schedule were most likely to adapt to metabolic factors. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule could help prevent metabolic diseases from occurring later in life.
In conclusion, getting enough sleep and maintaining an age-appropriate sleep schedule is important for the body to maintain proper function. Sleep deprivation from the lack of consistent sleep can be harmful. Thus creating issues with age.
