Diabetes and Sleep, Finally A Big Hope For Relief!!!

Among the many health concerns today, especially of the aging population, is the high risk of Type 2 Diabetes. This type of diabetes is referred to as the non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes because it normally occurs in adults. However, signs of type 2 diabetes may already be seen in obese children.

Obesity and lack of exercise are the most common causes of diabetes. But did you know that lack of sleep may also cause the increased risk of Type 2 diabetes? A study suggests that lack of slow-wave sleep (SWS), or deep sleep, may add to the risk of diabetes. In a study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, researchers hypothesize that SWS “play a role in glucose regulation and that suppression of SWS may adversely affect glucose homeostasis.”

They studied nine young healthy participants, age 20-31 years, five males and four females. They assessed the effect of SWS suppression on glucose homeostasis for three nights. Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) was substituted with shallow NREM sleep. Glucose levels, insulin sensitivity (SI) and insulin secretion were evaluated.

Results revealed the following:

• A ≈ 25% decrease in SI resulted from three nights of experimental suppression of SWS.
• The reduction in SI is consistent in all but one participant.
• Decrease in SI is not compensated by an increase in insulin release.
• Normally, when SI decreases, there should be a reciprocal increase in the insulin response (AIRg), disposition index (DI) must be constant and glucose tolerance is maintained.
• However, DI, a validated marker of diabetes risk, is lower by ≈ 20%.
• Glucose tolerance decreased by ≈ 23%.

Clearly, all conditions that will supposedly balance out the apparent decrease in insulin sensitivity have been negative, explaining the increased risk of diabetes.

In their discussion, the researchers point out that under chronic conditions, there is a possibility that insulin secretion may be increased up to the level that is sufficient to compensate the decrease in insulin sensitivity. However, they also state that there are  epidemiologic studies suggest that increase in incident Type 2 diabetes is caused by poor sleep quality.

In an article in DiabetEASE April-May 2009 issue, a study conducted by Lisa Rafaelson, PhD, et al. shows that “short-sleepers” are found to be more at “risk of developing impaired fasting glucose.” Short sleepers are those who have less than six hours of sleep.

Another study published in the online journal, SLEEP, supports the idea that reduced sleep duration results in higher diabetes risk. “The average sleep duration decreased from an estimate [nine] hours in 1910 to [seven] hours in 2003 (Gangwisch, et al, 2007:1667).” The study involves participants 32 to 86 years of age. Throughout the duration of the study, there have been 430 cases of incident diabetes. Those who have sleep duration of ≤5 and ≥9 hours have higher risk of incident diabetes than those who sleep for seven hours. This is also the case considering all other factors like physical activity, alcohol consumption, etc.

How to improve your sleep

GreenCow’s Ningxia Goji may be the answer to your sleepless nights. Goji (Lycium barbarum) may aid in improving sleep. How? There are claims that tryptophan, an essential amino acid found in goji, is responsible for giving you improved sleep quality. Drinking GreenCow’s Ningxia Goji Chocolate or Mango Drink Mix before going to bed may aid in having “deep and regular sleep”. Remember that having that much needed restorative sleep may also help reduce the risk of diabetes.

Fight diabetes with GreenCow Chia

You may also want to add a tablespoon of GreenCow Chia to your chocolate drink. GreenCow Chia, as proven by clinical studies, helps reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. GreenCow Chia contains high amount of fiber that improve glycemic control and stabilize blood sugar levels. Moreover, GreenCow Chia comes with a full load of  tryptophan to give you a healthy boost of this wonder amino acid!

Make sure you drink your Ningxia Goji Chocolate or Mango Drink Mix before you hit the sack and sleep the night away!

Take you GreenCow Chia now and say goodbye to diabetes!

 
References:

Benefits of Goji Berries. 5 Benefits of tryptophan. Retrieved July 24, 2009, from http://www.benefitsofgojiberries.com/5-benefits-of-tryptophan/

DiabetEASE: Living Well With Diabetes. (2009). Lack of sleep heightens diabetes risk, compiled by Jenny Lynne G. Aguilar, Vol. 4 No. 4 April-May 2009.
Gangwisch, J. E., Heymsfield, S. B., Boden-Albala, B., Buijs, R. M., Kreier, F., Pickering, T. G., Rundle, A. G., Zammit, G. K. and Malaspina, D. (2007).Sleep duration as a risk factor for diabetes incidence in a large US sample, SLEEP, Vol. 30, No. 12, 2007. Retrieved July 24, 2009, from http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27005
Tasali, E., Leproult, R., Ehrmann, D. A. and Van Couter, E. (2008). Slow-wave sleep and the risk of type 2 diabetes in humans, published online January 2, 2008, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0706446105, PNAS January 22, 2008 vol. 105 no. 3 1044-1049. Retrieved July 20, 2009, from http://www.pnas.org/content/105/3/1044.full?sid=056c9bea-7964-49a2-8c5c-b0b7a5fd8713

World Health Organization. What is diabetes?, Fact sheet N°312, November 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2009, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/index.html

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