Getting Less Sleep Might Influence Metabolic Health

Individuals who sleep longer may be less likely to develop metabolic syndrome and to have a high body mass index, according to a recent study.  

In their study, researchers analyzed data from 1615 adults who participated in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Participants completed questions on sleep duration and a 3- to 4-day food diary. In addition, their blood pressure and waist circumference were measured. A subset of participants provided blood samples which were used to measure fasting blood lipids, glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c), thyroid hormones, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.
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Analysis showed no associations between diet and sleep duration. After adjustments for age, ethnicity, sex, smoking, and socioeconomic status, the researchers found that sleep duration was negatively associated with body mass index and waist circumference, and was positively associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Additionally, sleep duration was positively associated with free thyroxine levels and was negatively associated with HbA_1c and C-reactive protein.

“Interestingly and contrary to our expectations sleep duration was not associated with diet,” the researchers concluded. “Collectively, these findings suggest that among UK adults, longer sleepers have favorable metabolic profiles in comparison to shorter sleepers but not substantially different dietary habits.”

“Our findings support the accumulating evidence showing an important contribution of short sleep to metabolic diseases such as obesity.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Potter GDM, Cade JE, Hardie LJ. Longer sleep is associated with lower BMI and favorable metabolic profiles in UK adults: Findings from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey [published online July 27, 2017]. PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182195.