Diabetes affects the lives of over 30 million people and research shows that children who get too little sleep are more likely to have risk factors for type 2 diabetes
Diabetes and Sleep Apnea in Children
The study of more than 4500 youth found a link between kids sleep habits and certain diabetes risk markers Children who slept fewer hours each night tended to be a bit heavier and show more insulin resistance
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels When the body starts to become resistant to insulin it can be a precursor to type 2 diabetes
So the findings raise the possibility that childhood sleep habits could affect the odds of diabetes or other health conditions later in life said researcher Christopher Owen
We believe that these small differences early in life could plausibly persist said Owen a professor of epidemiology at St Georges University of London
Past studies he noted have found that diabetes risk can track from early life to adulthood
What Can Parents Do
Dr Mercedes Bello directs the sleep disorders center at Nicklaus Childrens Hospital in Miami She said its plausible that inadequate sleep could directly affect childrens
weight and insulin resistance since sleep influences the release of various hormonesBello had advice for parents on helping school age kids get enough sleep Turn off the TV and electronic devices about an hour before bedtime since the blue light can disrupt sleep Limiting liquids close to bedtime and caffeine in general can also help she said
According to the National Sleep Foundation children aged 6 to 13 should get nine to 11 hours of sleep each night
The new findings are based on 4525 children from the United Kingdom aged 9 and 10 who were asked about the usual bedtimes and rising times on school days The researchers measured the kids weight height and body fat and took blood samples to test their insulin and blood sugar levels
On average the study found the children were getting 105 hours of sleep each night solidly within the recommended amount
Still there was a wide range in sleep habits Some kids got only eight hours of sleep a night while others typically got 12
Overall the study found long sleepers tended to be a bit thinner and have less insulin resistance
The findings suggest that extra sleep could be a simple cost effective approach to reducing body fat and type 2 diabetes risk from early life
What are Your Childs Sleep Needs
The National Sleep Foundation has more on childrens sleep needs
If you live in Alaska and are ready to get proactive about treating your or your childs sleep deprivation click below to schedule a free 10 minute phone consultation with a sleep educator to determine if a sleep study is right for your family
We are one of only two sleep labs in Alaska with a Pediatric Medical Director Dr Harry Yuan is a Pediatric Pulmonologist with Providence Hospital and works with our pediatric patients in Anchorage Wasilla Soldotna and Fairbanks
November is American Diabetes Month Take action for yourself or for a loved one and make a difference Can we count you in
