Rotating Night Shift Work and Type 2 Diabetes in Women

A new study found that the longer women worked rotating night shifts, the greater their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers also found that extended years of rotating night shift work was associated with weight gain. The weight gain may have contributed to the increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Women who worked rotating night shifts for three to nine years faced a 20 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Women who worked nights for 10 to 19 years had a 40 percent rise in risk. And women who worked night shifts for over 20 years were 58 percent more at risk. Women who worked rotating night shifts also gained more weight and were more likely to become obese during the follow-up.

Rotating night shift work was defined as three or more night shifts plus day and evening hours each month. The Harvard School of Public Health tracked more than 175,000 U.S. nurses for this study. Findings were published Dec. 6 in the journal PLoS Medicine.

Researchers said the findings need to be confirmed in men and ethnic groups (96 percent of the nurses were white Caucasians). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 15 million Americans work full time on evening shifts, night shifts, rotating shifts or other irregular schedules.

Read more about shift work sleep disorder and women’s sleep needs. More stories about sleep and type 2 diabetes are available on the Sleep Education Blog.

Photo by DIAC Images

Sleep More, Stress Less to Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals

Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig should get with the program. Neither of the weight loss leaders integrates sleep education and sleep diaries. And the companies are making a big mistake, new research suggests. Popular approaches used by groups like Weight Watchers use a diary to keep track of food and exercise. Adding an extra column in the diary for hours slept would be a minor change that could make a significant impact.

A new study in the International Journal of Obesity found that adequate sleep increases your chances of success during weight loss efforts. People trying to lose at least 10 pounds more often reached their goal if they had six to eight hours of sleep per night. Stress reduction also helps with weight loss, the study reports.

A group of 500 study participants were instructed to lose 10 pounds over a six month period. All participants attended weekly weigh-in and educational meetings. Instructors at the meetings encouraged the participants to consume 500 fewer calories per day, adopt a healthy low-fat, low-sugar diet and exercise for at least 180 minutes a week. Participants were required to keep record of how long they slept, stress levels and mood. The class instructors encouraged participants to keep a food diary as well.

Nearly three-quarters of the people who slept more than six hours and kept a low-stress lifestyle were successful in losing 10 pounds or more and were twice as likely to meet their goals compared to those who get six or fewer hours of sleep.

Sleep loss tends to lead to weight gain or undermine dietary weight loss because it changes the body’s hormone levels. Lower leptin and higher ghrelin can lead to a slower metabolism but a bigger appetite for junk food.

Whether you are trying to lose weight or stay trim for swimsuit season, prioritizing sleep is always a good idea. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults get at least seven hours of sleep. Don’t underestimate the power of diet and exercise. Weight loss programs like Weight Watchers work for many people because they educate people to make the right choices and encourage them to hold themselves accountable for their health.