Excessive napping post 50 linked to diabetes--study

Researchers at the University of Birmingham, England, established that midday sleep many days a week tends to escalate the odds of type 2 diabetes in people over 50 years of age.

Lead researcher, G. Neil Thomas, PhD, University of Birmingham said, “Both sleep homeostatic and circadian processes have profound influences on multiple physiological functions including the release of and sensitivity to metabolic hormones (e.g., insulin), and sympathetic-parasympathetic balance.”

Homeostatic process refers to body’s ability to control the bodily processes to ascertain its constancy in responding to variations occurring in the outside environment.

Circadian process or rhythm is the biological clock that regulates bodily activities concerning environmental phases and provides an inner chronological structure.

19,567 Chinese men and women studied
Researchers conducted a Chinese cohort study with 19,567 men and women to determine the effects of habitual naps and diabetes risk.

The reason for conducting the study among Chinese people is down to the fact that midday nap is a social norm in China, practiced by all ages. This, researchers gauged, would clearly depict the health standards related to napping.

Factors like the subjects’ age, physical activity levels, blood pressure levels, and heart disease risk were also taken into consideration.

After evaluation it was found that subjects who dozed four to six days a week had a 36 percent higher tendency of falling prey to diabetes, in contrast to those who did not doze off for even a single day per week.

Also, those who took nap every day were at 28 percent elevated risk of developing the condition, stated the researchers.

Further research required
According to the researchers, the current study included a representative sample and appraised the subjects at a particular time than following them over years. Thus, the order of occurrence of napping or diabetes could not be measured accurately.

Apart from this, poor overall health also accounted for napping-diabetes connect in many people.

The researchers, thus, established that the findings do not confirm napping as the sole culprit and nap lovers need not be anxious as more research will go into the present study.

“Even if the current results are confirmed, people can do far more for their health by stopping smoking, having a balanced diet and being active,” concluded Thomas.

The study appears in the medical journal Sleep.