People with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for heart disease

Risk factors are anything that increases a person’s likelihood of contracting a specific illness or injury. One risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes is having diabetes in the family, for example. Researchers at Central Michigan University and various other research institutes in the US and Canada compared the risk of heart disease and a number of potential risk factors in 2335 participants who had been given a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.

Their study reported on in 2016 in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice found the sleep duration and smoking are significant risk factors. 14.2% of participants had coronary heart disease in total. There were some factors identified in the participants who had heart disease…

• gender – male,
• advancing age,
• a history of smoking,
• long sleep duration in women,
• having high blood pressure, and
• high cholesterol readings.

The study found that, at least for women, getting too much sleep is just as bad as getting too little. Adults should get seven to eight hours of sleep per night, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in the US. A 2013 Gallup survey found that while 30% of Americans may sleep too much, 40% of Americans report getting too little sleep. According to the Prevention magazine, sleeping or staying in bed more than eight hours raises your risk of heart disease by 34 percent…

• too much sleep can mean too little physical activity, which is in itself a risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
• obesity is another danger of staying in bed too long.
• too much sleep has also been linked to premature death, probably due to inflammation.

Oversleeping and depression have been associated, but it can be challenging to determine a cause and effect. Does too much sleep cause depression, or do those who are depressed frequently oversleep? We are all aware of how challenging it can be to get out of bed immediately following a tragic event. Can the opposite, however, also be true? More study is required.

Most people benefit from getting up and taking a walk after 7 to 8 hours of sleep. If you find that you sleep more than the advised amount, try setting your alarm for 7 to 8 hours after going to bed. Go for a morning walk after getting up and awaking your dog. Your emotional health can also be enhanced by engaging in physical activity, which is beneficial for the entire body.