For many people, it isn’t uncommon to make do with getting 6 hours of sleep a night during the week. The lack of sleep can lead to plenty of significant health risks such as, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Catching up on sleep can be beneficial to our health. New research shows that getting an additional 2 to 3 hours of shuteye on the weekends could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at the Harbor-University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center, conducted a study with 19 men, average age 29, who had only been getting 6 hours of sleep on weeknights due to their workload for over 5 years. The men also had habits of sleeping in for an additional 2.3 hours on weekends. At the end of the study, blood would be taken to test insulin sensitivity. Low insulin sensitivity is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
As they slept in the lab for 3 nights, some men were allowed to sleep 10 hours with no interruptions, some were allowed to sleep 10 hours with frequent interruption, and the rest slept only 6 hours without interruption. All volunteers ate the same diet so the researchers could normalize their insulin and sugar levels. The test subjects who were allowed to sleep 10 hours for 3 weekend nights to catch up on missed sleep, showed a 31% increase in insulin sensitivity compared to the ones who only slept 6 hours.
The study proves that “sleeping in” can be a good thing as type 2 diabetes is the 7th highest cause of death the in the United States. The recommended about amount of sleep a night for adults is 7-9 hours.
Gallery Furniture reminds you that although your work schedule may be hectic, it is vital that you put your health first! Make getting your best night of sleep every night a priority, not just on the weekends!
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