Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are likely to develop diabetes, with the risk increasing if the patient has a hereditary proclivity, according to research reported by BioScholar. Neurology specialists at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) found that a person with apnea and risk factors for diabetes are likely to develop the condition because the sleep disorder causes metabolic changes by increasing insulin resistance.
In addition, poor sleep can cause weight gain because the brain sends signals that generate an increase in appetite and the need to consume carbohydrates, which raises cholesterol levels due to metabolic changes that the body generates, as indicated on the Bioscholar report. If to that one adds that obese people are prone to diabetes, apnea plays a fundamental role.
The Bioscholar report notes that OSA can not only cause diabetes, but is also responsible for the increase of triglycerides, hypertension, and cholesterol.
The UNAM specialist suggests that individuals with this condition should go to a sleep clinic in order to obtain a proper diagnosis of the disease or prevent its development. Technology may cause sleeplessness, and lying in bed with a piece of technology can make the brain lose the need to sleep because it reacts to light.
Also, there is no fixed number of sleep hours and it depends on the age and needs of the body. Rafael Santana, a medical specialist at the Sleep Disorders Clinic of the UNAM, explains that what matters is the quality of sleep. Santana explains that sleep is essential to perform daily activities, and it is therefore recommended to measure the amount of hours that make one feel rested and respect that time.
The Bioscholar news report notes that sleep helps us to be alert, have a good mood, lose the need to nap during the day, as well as avoid developing diseases caused by the lack of sleep.
Source: Bioscholar
