It is already recognized that shift work may help increase the risk of metabolic disorders such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In question: the disruption of the circadian clock which would disrupt the biological rhythm established over 24 hours with the phases of wakefulness and sleep to which humans and animals are subjected.
Not getting enough sleep increases the risk of disease
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism November 18 shows that even a small shift in the hours of sleep relative to the circadian rhythm (getting up earlier to go to work, for example) could increase the risk of disease.
To get her findings, Patricia M. Wong and a team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, USA, conducted work on 447 men and women aged 20 to 54, who worked at least 25 hours per day. week away from home. For a week, the volunteers wore a bracelet measuring their movements and their sleep over 24 hours and answered various questionnaires to assess their eating habits and level of physical activity.
A majority of people sleep in staggered hours
Scientists found that nearly 85% of participants slept staggered, waking up later on weekends than work days, while 15% naturally shortened their cycles by waking up earlier on weekends than on work days. in Week.
And the more the volunteers get up and go to bed at staggered times, the poorer their medical profile with catastrophic cholesterol levels, higher fasting insulin levels, greater waist circumference, body mass index. higher and insulin resistance.
This social jet lag (called “social jetlag” by the researchers) persisted, even after adjusting for other sleep-related variables and lifestyle habits, such as physical activity or calorie intake. “Social jet lag refers to the mismatch between the individual biological circadian rhythm and the use of the sleeping time socially imposed “, analyzes Patricia M.Wong.
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