Losing sleep has greater impact than most believe
BY HANNAH BUNNING Special to the news news@gulfbreezenews.com

Picture courtesy of mommy2emjar@yahoo.com A new study from Duke University shows lack of sleep contributes to psychological problems.

After a bad night of sleep, Kim Green, 34, is irritable and will spend her morning hitting the snooze button. But what she doesn't know about bad sleep habits is that it could affect more than just her mood.

A recent study by Duke University Medical Center found that poor sleep habits are associated with increased psychological distress, as well as a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It also showed that these risks are higher in women than men.

Increased psychological distress includes depression, anger, hostility and social support from family and friends.

Rahul K. Kakkar, an expert in sleep disorders, said in an email interview that the study is a step in the right direction, but it is not clear if it had enough power to detect the differences between men and women because of the way the results were measured.

The study was released on March 10 in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity.

Women have a higher incidence of insomnia than men and an increased risk of thyroid abnormalities, which are commonly present as sleep disturbance and weight gain.

Researchers studied 210 middle-aged women and men who had no history of sleep disorders. They used questionnaires to determine each person's sleep during the previous month.

Kakkar said the study did not exclude people with sleep apnea.

The study, supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, showed that 40 percent of those studied were classified as poor sleepers. This is defined as those having frequent problems falling asleep, taking 30 minutes or more to fall asleep and those who awaken frequently during the night.

"Scientists have only recently started to understand the effects of sleep, or its lack, on the human body," Kakkar said.

He suggested that women maintain a regular sleep schedule and avoid caffeine in the afternoon, alcohol at bedtime and smoking in order to improve sleep habits. He also discouraged watching TV and using computers in bed.

Women need make sure they are getting enough sleep during menstrual periods, pregnancy and menopause when sleep problems may be more pronounced.

Green said she is happy with her sleep habits. She likes to get between six and eight hours of sleep every night and does everything she can to get to bed at a decent hour.

Although she and her husband, Hayes Green, often disagree on their sleeping patterns, they both agree they are sleeping enough.

She prefers to have some time to relax in the evening before bed, and he would rather use that time to get extra sleep.

Green said she feels more affected by a lack of sleep on the second day of not getting enough rest.

She said she would alter her sleep habits if she noticed a change in her cholesterol or blood sugar but has no reason to worry about it right now.

Hayes Green, 36, said he is not surprised with the results of the study.

"I knew it would make you moody, but I didn't know it would affect your physical health," he said.

He feels groggy, often runs late for work in the morning and has trouble concentrating at work when he doesn't get enough sleep.

Kakkar thinks that family history needed to be included in the study.

Further studies are being planned by Duke researchers in order to better understand the relationship between health risk and poor sleep in men and women.