03/26/2019 / By Michelle Simmons
Your bedtime habits can affect your risk of developing diabetes. A literature review published in the journal Advances in Nutrition finds that going to bed and waking up earlier could help slash the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Earlier studies have suggested that chrono-nutrition, which is the timing of dietary intake, may be influenced by a person’s chronotype — whether they are “early birds” or “night owls.” In the literature review, the researchers compared the eating patterns of night owls, or those who stay up late, with early birds, or those who wake up early.
The results showed that night owls had a higher likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes because of their poor eating behavior and diets. They were more likely to eat late, drink more alcohol, consume more sugar, and skip breakfast the next day. They were also less inclined to eat vegetables and were found to have bigger, but less frequent meals.
In healthy individuals, levels of blood sugar are typically lower at night than during the day. However, eating late at night can raise blood sugar levels, which, in turn, negatively affect metabolism through the night. This could be the reason why those who tend to stay up late could be at a higher risk of poorer health. Furthermore, the researchers found that sleeping late at night could also negatively affect people who already have Type 2 diabetes. In addition, they discovered that those who have poorer management of their condition are more likely to be night owls. (Related: The importance of sleep in diabetes prevention.)
Should you want to turn yourself from a night owl to an early bird, you would have to change your circadian rhythm, or your sleep/wake cycle or body clock. This can be done by following these steps:
Read more news stories and studies on how to reduce your risk of diabetes by going to PreventDiabetes.news.
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bedtime, body clock, circadian rhythm, diabetes, early bird, eating habits, metabolic health, metabolism, mind body science, night owl, nutrition, prevention, sleep, Type 2 Diabetes
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