The skinny on why poor sleep may increase heart risk in women
February 17, 2020
Science Daily/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Women who sleep poorly tend to overeat and consume a lower-quality diet, according to a new study from researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The findings provide new insight into how poor sleep quality can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity and points to possible interventions for improving women's heart health.
Previous studies have shown that people who get less sleep are more likely to develop obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease -- and that the relationship may be partially explained by diet. But these studies were narrowly focused on specific foods or nutrients (such as fish, sweets, or saturated fat) or only measured sleep duration, not sleep quality.
The new study was designed to get a more comprehensive picture in women by examining associations between overall diet quality and multiple aspects of sleep quality.
"Women are particularly prone to sleep disturbances across the life span, because they often shoulder the responsibilities of caring for children and family and, later, because of menopausal hormones," says Brooke Aggarwal, EdD, assistant professor of medical sciences at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and senior author of the study.
The study of nearly 500 women was published online today in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The researchers analyzed the sleep and eating habits of an ethnically diverse group of 495 women, ages 20 to 76. The study looked at sleep quality, the time it took to fall asleep, and insomnia. The women also reported on the types and amounts of foods they typically eat throughout the year, allowing researchers to measure their typical dietary patterns.
Similar to previous studies of sleep and diet, the study found that those with worse overall sleep quality consumed more of the added sugars associated with obesity and diabetes.
Women who took longer to fall asleep had higher caloric intake and ate more food by weight.
And women with more severe insomnia symptoms consumed more food by weight and fewer unsaturated fats than women with milder insomnia.
"Our interpretation is that women with poor-quality sleep could be overeating during subsequent meals and making more unhealthy food choices," says Aggarwal.
The question remains: How might poor sleep contribute to poor eating?
"Poor sleep quality may lead to excessive food and calorie intake by stimulating hunger signals or suppressing signals of fullness," says Faris Zuraikat, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and lead author of the study. "Fullness is largely affected by the weight or volume of food consumed, and it could be that women with insomnia consume a greater amount of food in an effort to feel full.
"However, it's also possible that poor diet has a negative impact on women's sleep quality," adds Zuraikat. "Eating more could also cause gastrointestinal discomfort, for instance, making it harder to fall asleep or remain asleep."
"Given that poor diet and overeating may lead to obesity -- a well-established risk factor for heart disease -- future studies should test whether therapies that improve sleep quality can promote cardiometabolic health in women," says Aggarwal.
About the Study
The women in the study were participants in the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Two other research teams in Columbia's Go Red for Women network are studying the impact of sleep restriction on risk factors for heart disease and on the cells that line blood vessels.
The study is titled "Measures of Poor Sleep Quality Are Associated with Higher Energy Intake and Poor Diet Quality in a Diverse Sample of Women from the Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200217085214.htm
Insufficient sleep may be adding to your waistline
July 31, 2017
Science Daily/University of Leeds
Adults in the UK who have poor sleep patterns are more likely to be overweight and obese and have poorer metabolic health, according to a new study.
The findings showed that people who were sleeping on average around six hours a night had a waist measurement that was 3cm greater than individuals who were getting nine hours of sleep a night. And shorter sleepers were heavier too.
The results strengthen the evidence that insufficient sleep could contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as diabetes -- major health challenges facing the NHS.
The study -- led by Dr Laura Hardie, Reader in Molecular Epidemiology at the University of Leeds -- not only looked at the links between sleep duration, diet and weight, but also other indicators of overall metabolic health such as blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood sugar, and thyroid function.
The study involved 1,615 adults who reported how long they slept and kept records of food intake. Participants had blood samples taken and their weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure recorded.
The researchers looked at the associations between how long people were sleeping and these key biological parameters.
The research team, from the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine and the School of Food Science and Nutrition, reported their findings in the journal PLOS One.
Obesity has doubled
Greg Potter, one of the Leeds researchers, said "The number of people with obesity worldwide has more than doubled since 1980.
"Obesity contributes to the development of many diseases, most notably type 2 diabetes. Understanding why people gain weight has crucial implications for public health."
Shorter sleep was also linked to reduced levels of HDL cholesterol in the participants' blood-another factor that can cause health problems. HDL cholesterol is 'good' cholesterol that helps remove 'bad' fat from the circulation. In doing so, high HDL cholesterol levels protect against conditions such as heart disease.
Interestingly, the study did not find any relationship between shortened sleep and a less healthy diet -- a fact that surprised the researchers. Other studies have suggested that shortened sleep can lead to poor dietary choices.
The research was a snapshot of the associations between sleep duration and measurements of metabolic health. It was not designed to assess the impact of chronic poor sleep over time, and whether that leads to disease.
Importance of getting enough sleep
Dr Hardie said: "Because we found that adults who reported sleeping less than their peers were more likely to be overweight or obese, our findings highlight the importance of getting enough sleep.
"How much sleep we need differs between people, but the current consensus is that seven to nine hours is best for most adults."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170731225418.htm