Latest news with #PekingUniversity
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Massive Study Links 6 Sleep Traits to Risk of 172 Diseases
The way we sleep can reveal a great deal about our overall health. But while many of us focus on the hours of shut-eye we get, new research suggests we should pay more attention to the timing and consistency of our bedtime. Researchers have now found that those with the poorest sleep rhythms may face a 2.8-times-higher risk of Parkinson's disease, and a 1.6-times-higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to those with consistent patterns of wakefulness and sleep. The findings come from the sleep data of more than 88,000 people in the UK Biobank, and while the results can only reveal correlations, they could point future clinical research in new directions. Altogether, scientists at Peking University and the Army Medical University in China considered the health effects of six sleep traits: length, onset, rhythm, extent and efficiency of sleep, and frequency of wake-ups during the night. Related: During the average 6.8-year follow-up, 172 diseases were associated with these sleep characteristics, with many tied to just one trait. To make the findings more robust, the associations were successfully replicated using another large database: the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Across both analyses, sleep duration (as measured by wearable sensors) showed a relatively weak association with disease risk, despite the fact that in surveys, many participants expressed greater concern over how much they slept, rather than how they slept. Sleep rhythm, meanwhile, showed three times as many disease links as those associated with sleep duration and onset. In fact, it was associated with nearly half of the study's 172 diseases. The term 'sleep rhythm' essentially refers to cycles of wakefulness and sleep, from when a person goes to bed, to when they wake each and every day. A more robust and regular sleep rhythm seems to be tied to healthier outcomes. Senior author and epidemiologist Shengfeng Wang from Peking University argues it is "time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration." "The existing literature has disproportionately focused on sleep duration rather than other sleep traits," write the study authors, led by Yimeng Wang from China's Army Medical University. In the current study, the most erratic sleep rhythms, as opposed to the most consistent ones, were linked to type 2 diabetes, primary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute kidney failure, and depression – to name just a few. One of the strongest associations was with Parkinson's disease, which previous studies have also linked to sleep disorders. Sleep onset and sleep quality were also associated with several diseases. Those who went to bed after 12.30 am, for instance, were 2.6 times more likely to develop liver cirrhosis compared to those who went to bed before 11.30 pm. In addition, the least efficient sleepers showed a nearly 1.8-fold increase in respiratory failure compared to those who slept the most efficiently. The data is based on wearable sleep monitors as well as subjective reports, and that seems to be an important combination. Nearly a quarter of self-reported 'long sleepers' actually slept fewer than 6 hours a night. The findings indicate that purely relying on surveys, as previous sleep studies have done, may not be reliable. "For example, some participants with difficulty falling asleep or keeping stable sleep may have spent a long time in bed but have short real sleep," the researchers explain. "As evidenced by our analyses, this dramatic misclassification of sleep duration has introduced substantial bias to the estimation of effect size for a number of diseases, including stroke, ischemic heart diseases, cardiovascular disease, and depressive episode and recurrent depressive disorder." "Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity," concludes Wang. The study was published in Health Data Science. Related News Common Viruses May Wake Dormant Breast Cancer Cells, Study Finds Study Reveals The Shocking Amount of Plastic We Breathe in Every Day Researchers Identified New Blood Group After 50 Year Mystery Solve the daily Crossword
Fox News
a day ago
- Health
- Fox News
Hidden sleep danger could increase risk of 172 diseases, major study reveals
Experts agree that seven to nine hours of sleep is ideal for most adults — but when it comes to your health, the total number of hours might not be the most important factor. In a major new study led by teams from Peking University and Army Medical University, sleep irregularity has been linked to an increased risk of 172 different diseases. The researchers analyzed nearly seven years of UK Biobank sleep data from 88,461 adults averaging 62 years of age, focusing on multiple traits that included nocturnal sleep duration, sleep onset timing, sleep rhythm and sleep fragmentation, according to a press release. They then compared that data to disease outcomes from the National Health Service, the Cancer Registry and the National Death Index. They found that for 92 diseases — Parkinson's disease and acute kidney failure — 20% of the risk was tied to poor sleep behavior. Forty-two diseases were linked to at least double the risk. Those included age-related frailty, gangrene, and fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. Poor sleep traits were linked to 1.5 times the risk of 122 diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, respiratory failure, certain bone fractures and urinary incontinence. Inflammatory pathways were identified as one possible link between irregular sleep and disease. "Some common diseases showed considerable attributable risk, such as Parkinson's disease, pulmonary heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, thyrotoxicosis (hyperthyroidism) and urinary incontinence," the researchers wrote. The results were published in the journal Health Data Science. "Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity," said Prof. Shengfeng Wang, senior author of the study, in the release. "It's time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration." "It's time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration." Ashley Curtis, PhD, assistant professor and director of the Cognition, Aging, Sleep, and Health (CASH) Lab in the College of Nursing at the University of South Florida, was not involved in the research but shared her reaction to the findings. "This study contributes to the growing evidence supporting the critical role sleep plays as a key modifiable risk factor across a range of medical disorders, particularly in mid- to late-life," she told Fox News Digital. "However, this study also emphasizes that how we measure sleep matters in terms of what conclusions we make regarding its impact on health across the lifespan." Curtis highlighted the difference between self-reported sleep patterns versus objective measurements captured by wearable devices. "Better understanding these patterns is important, because it can impact recommendations regarding what aspects of sleep we should be monitoring more closely in terms of assessing the risk of future declines in health," she said. "Additionally, these findings provide insight into the specific physiological sleep-related mechanisms that may be driving comorbid disease trajectories." The researchers noted several major limitations in this research. The most prevalent is that the study is not representative of the nationwide population, as the participants were mainly middle-aged or elderly and therefore more susceptible to certain diseases. The sleep data was also captured at only one single point in time. There is also a chance that external factors or "reverse causation bias" affected the results, they stated. Curtis echoed these limitations, noting that sleep was only measured across one seven-day time period and did not consider variability in sleep patterns over time. "Further, there was a lack of consideration of sleep disorders, such as insomnia or sleep apnea," she told Fox News Digital. "Given that both of these sleep disorders are highly prevalent in aging populations, there is a need for future studies that include a more comprehensive clinical assessment in order to fully elucidate the link between sleep disorder profiles and the risk of other medical comorbidities." For more Health articles, visit The research team plans to conduct future studies to confirm causality and to measure how sleep interventions may impact chronic disease outcomes. The study was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Beijing Municipal Health Development Research Fund.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Weight Comes Back When You Stop Taking Drugs Like Ozempic, Study Finds
We've got fresh evidence for how weight can quickly be regained after weight-loss programs stop – but rather than looking at traditional dieting, here the researchers wanted to focus on anti-obesity medications (AOMs), as they continue to be used ever more widely. A team from Peking University in China reviewed 11 previous studies involving a total of 2,466 people. The studies covered a variety of AOMs, including those known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy), which impersonate the natural hormone GLP-1 to control appetite and blood sugar. Overall, the researchers found that AOMs were effective at helping people to lose weight. However, they all had something else in common: the weight tended to come back once the course of drugs was over. Related: "Significant weight regain occurred eight weeks after discontinuation of AOMs and was sustained through 20 weeks," explains the research team, led by first author Han Wu. "Different weight regain was observed in subjects with different characteristics." Of the different types of weight loss treatments covered, it was those in the GLP-1 category that showed the most weight gain after treatment had stopped, driving the rest of the results – though they did account for most of the studies analyzed. Some 20 weeks after stopping their drugs, the participants in the studies had put back on an average of 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds). The team also found that people who lost more weight tended to regain more afterwards too. To help isolate the effects of stopping the medicines, the researchers accounted for several other factors that can also influence weight loss, including levels of exercise and whether or not the individuals concerned had diabetes. Why this is happening isn't clear. Future studies might be able to look at the underlying reasons more closely, but there's the possibility that weight loss somehow rewires the body in a variety of ways that then make it harder to keep to a healthy weight. "The effects of weight cycling on health and systemic metabolism are not thoroughly defined," write the researchers. One of the previous studies looked at in the new analysis was published in 2023, and found that when weekly injections of tirzepatide (or Zepbound) were stopped and participants were switched to a placebo, an average of half the lost weight came back again. It's worth pointing out that this isn't just a problem with weight-loss drugs. It's something that's also been seen in other approaches to staying slim, including gastric bypasses and vertical banded gastroplasty. However, it's another consideration to bear in mind when weighing up AOMs that produce impressive results – there may be a cost to pay later. Questions have already been asked about some of the side effects and health risks that may come with AOMs. For now, the researchers are keen to see new studies carried out, covering bigger sample groups over longer periods of time. It's possible that we can find better ways of supporting people once they come off AOMs – or find healthier alternatives to them. "Studies with longer follow-up duration are required to further investigate the potential factors associated with weight change after discontinuation of treatment," write the researchers. The research has been published in BMC Medicine. Related News This Natural, Zero-Calorie Sweetener Could Be a Secret Weapon Against Cancer Study Confirms Vaccines Protect Everybody – Even The Unvaccinated Scientists Find 2 Existing Drugs Can Reverse Alzheimer's Brain Damage in Mice Solve the daily Crossword
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
From gangrene to deadly liver damage – the 92 conditions linked to going to bed after a specific time
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GOING to sleep past a specific time could up the risk of 92 conditions, scientists have suggested. This includes gangrene, liver damage, Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes, according to Chinese researchers. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Going to sleep after 12:30 could up your risk of certain conditions, scientists say Credit: Getty It's no secret that persistent poor sleep can impact your health, with studies showing it may increase the likelihood of developing dementia, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and even cancer. But much of this research focuses on sleep duration – how many hours of kip participants get a night – rather than factors like bedtime and how well people sleep through the night. Now, scientists from Peking University and Army Medical University say going to sleep past 12:30am may increase the risk of ill health. "Evidence suggests that sleep traits might be associated with a number of diseases affecting diverse systems, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and mental diseases," researchers wrote in Health Data Science. "However, in most publications to date, sleep has been measured by subjective recall of the participants, which has been found to bear systematic error in some aspects and may lead to misunderstanding of sleep's health impact. "Furthermore, the available literature has mainly focused on certain sleep traits, namely, sleep duration, while other traits such as sleep timing and sleep rhythm have less often been analysed." They said sleep regularity - such as going to bed at a consistent time and having stable circadian rhythms - is a little known but critical factor in disease risk. Researchers used data from 88,461 adults who took part in the UK Biobank study. Participants wore small sensors called accelerometers, which collected data on their bedtime, how long they slept a night and whether they woke up, for an average of about seven years. Scientists paired this information with data from NHS records, cancer registries and the National Death Index. I spent three days at a sleep retreat - these are the top 7 things I learnt They found that sleep habits picked up through the accelerometers played a significant role in the risk of developing certain diseases. Researchers studied 172 diseases. Researchers found that poor sleep habits can double the risk of certain diseases. For example, participants with the most irregular sleep patterns had more than double the risk of gangrene compared to those with consistent sleep routines Meanwhile, people who went to sleep after 12:30am had over double the risk of liver problems such as fibrosis and cirrhosis, compared to those who went to bed between 11:00 and 11:30 pm. For 92 diseases, at least 20 per cent of the risk was due to sleep traits and for 44 diseases, more than 30 per cent of the risk was linked to sleep factors. Examples included: Parkinson's disease, where the risk was linked to how consistent sleep was each day. Heart disease, where the risk was tied to balance between activity and rest. Type 2 diabetes, where the risk was linked to regular sleep timing. Obesity, where the risk was tied to balance between activity and rest. Overactive thyroid, where bedtime played a role. Urinary incontinence, where risk was linked to sleep quality. How bad sleep affects weight Previously in The Sun, experts explained how sleep is closely linked with weight. Disrupts hunger hormones Ghrelin is a hormone released after the brain signals the stomach is empty, while leptin is released from fat cells to suppress hunger - and tell the brain it's full. Studies have shown that when you don't get enough shut-eye, the body makes more ghrelin and less leptin - leaving you more hungry. One study of 12 men led by University of Chicago showed two days of sleep deprivation drove leptin levels in the blood down by 18 per cent, while increasing ghrelin by 28 per cent. The men reported a 24 per cent increase in their hunger and appetite compared to when they were given two restful nights. More time to eat The less you are asleep, the more you are awake. This gives more of an opportunity to eat. In the modern day world, people are awake for up to 17 hours at a time - 7am till 12pm. It leaves a huge window for being awake and eating. If you're struggling with both your weight and sleep, try finishing your meals three to four hours before bed time. That might mean limiting your eating window from 9am until 6pm. Reach for takeaways If you have a weird sleeping pattern, chances are your eating schedule is also off-whack. Struggling to sleep can see us turn to convenience - takeaways, ready meals, oven foods and more, whi;e being energised gives us more motivation to cook healthily. Eat more calories than normal Studies suggest that the less sleep you get, the more calorie-dense food you choose to eat. One study in Chicago found that men ate more food at a buffet after four consecutive night's of rough sleep compared with when they were rested. They consumed around 340 calories more, mostly because they ate more snacks and carbohydrate-rich food. Researchers from King's College London also found that adults consumed an additional 385 calories – the equivalent of one and a half Mars Bars – on days after they were deprived of kip by combining the results of 11 previous studies. More desire for food Foods, especially those high in calories, are more appetising when we are sleep deprived because we subconsciously know they will boost our energy. A German study showed the lengths sleepy people would go to for calorific snacks using 32 healthy men. After a normal dinner and either a restful or restless night's sleep, the men were given three Euros to spend on snacks and told to bid the maximum amount they were willing to spend on each item. When sleep deprived. participants were willing to pay extra for the junk food items - which they were allowed to eat afterwards - suggesting a stronger desire. Fat storage more likely Scientists have warned that not getting enough sleep changes how the body deals with food, which could then lead to weight gain. One study showed that men who ate a large bowl of chilli mac and cheese after four nights of bad sleep reacted differently to the food than those who were well-rested. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University said blood tests showed lipids (fats) from foods were cleared faster, suggesting they were being stored almost instantly. The process did not spring back to its normal rate even after the men were given a long night's sleep. The study also challenged previous claims that sleeping over nine hours each night is harmful. Previous research has suggested "long sleepers" could be at higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Researchers said "misclassification" may be to blame, as 21 per cent of 'long sleepers' actually slept less than six hours, suggesting that time spent in bed is often confused with actual sleep time. Prof Shengfeng Wang, senior author of the study, said: 'Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity. 'It's time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration.' The study team suggested that inflammation could be upping the risk of disease in people who sleep poorly, as disrupted sleep might trigger immune responses that contribute to illness. Researchers concluded: "Our results may suggest that the various dimensions of sleep traits deserve more attention in future studies and that pursuing comprehensive control of sleep traits may have greater benefit for health over merely ensuring adequate sleep duration." Fortunately, there are easy things we can do to correct some – if not all – our poor sleep habits, they suggested. "For example, the disruption of sleep rhythm can be substantially improved if the unhealthy habit of social media use before sleep (so-called Twitter jetlag) can be corrected," they said. Next, the team will look into whether sleep improvements can reduce the risk of disease over time.
The Sun
a day ago
- Health
- The Sun
From gangrene to deadly liver damage – the 92 conditions linked to going to bed after a specific time
GOING to sleep past a specific time could up the risk of 92 conditions, scientists have suggested. This includes gangrene, liver damage, Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes, according to Chinese researchers. It's no secret that persistent poor sleep can impact your health, with studies showing it may increase the likelihood of developing dementia, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and even cancer. But much of this research focuses on sleep duration – how many hours of kip participants get a night – rather than factors like bedtime and how well people sleep through the night. Now, scientists from Peking University and Army Medical University say going to sleep past 12:30am may increase the risk of ill health. "Evidence suggests that sleep traits might be associated with a number of diseases affecting diverse systems, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and mental diseases," researchers wrote in Health Data Science. "However, in most publications to date, sleep has been measured by subjective recall of the participants, which has been found to bear systematic error in some aspects and may lead to misunderstanding of sleep's health impact. "Furthermore, the available literature has mainly focused on certain sleep traits, namely, sleep duration, while other traits such as sleep timing and sleep rhythm have less often been analysed." They said sleep regularity - such as going to bed at a consistent time and having stable circadian rhythms - is a little known but critical factor in disease risk. Researchers used data from 88,461 adults who took part in the UK Biobank study. Participants wore small sensors called accelerometers, which collected data on their bedtime, how long they slept a night and whether they woke up, for an average of about seven years. Scientists paired this information with data from NHS records, cancer registries and the National Death Index. I spent three days at a sleep retreat - these are the top 7 things I learnt They found that sleep habits picked up through the accelerometers played a significant role in the risk of developing certain diseases. Researchers studied 172 diseases. Researchers found that poor sleep habits can double the risk of certain diseases. For example, participants with the most irregular sleep patterns had more than double the risk of gangrene compared to those with consistent sleep routines Meanwhile, people who went to sleep after 12:30am had over double the risk of liver problems such as fibrosis and cirrhosis, compared to those who went to bed between 11:00 and 11:30 pm. For 92 diseases, at least 20 per cent of the risk was due to sleep traits and for 44 diseases, more than 30 per cent of the risk was linked to sleep factors. Examples included: Parkinson's disease, where the risk was linked to how consistent sleep was each day. Heart disease, where the risk was tied to balance between activity and rest. Type 2 diabetes, where the risk was linked to regular sleep timing. Obesity, where the risk was tied to balance between activity and rest. Overactive thyroid, where bedtime played a role. Urinary incontinence, where risk was linked to sleep quality. How bad sleep affects weight Previously in The Sun, experts explained how sleep is closely linked with weight. Disrupts hunger hormones Ghrelin is a hormone released after the brain signals the stomach is empty, while leptin is released from fat cells to suppress hunger - and tell the brain it's full. Studies have shown that when you don't get enough shut-eye, the body makes more ghrelin and less leptin - leaving you more hungry. One study of 12 men led by University of Chicago showed two days of sleep deprivation drove leptin levels in the blood down by 18 per cent, while increasing ghrelin by 28 per cent. The men reported a 24 per cent increase in their hunger and appetite compared to when they were given two restful nights. More time to eat The less you are asleep, the more you are awake. This gives more of an opportunity to eat. In the modern day world, people are awake for up to 17 hours at a time - 7am till 12pm. It leaves a huge window for being awake and eating. If you're struggling with both your weight and sleep, try finishing your meals three to four hours before bed time. That might mean limiting your eating window from 9am until 6pm. Reach for takeaways If you have a weird sleeping pattern, chances are your eating schedule is also off-whack. Struggling to sleep can see us turn to convenience - takeaways, ready meals, oven foods and more, whi;e being energised gives us more motivation to cook healthily. Eat more calories than normal Studies suggest that the less sleep you get, the more calorie-dense food you choose to eat. One study in Chicago found that men ate more food at a buffet after four consecutive night's of rough sleep compared with when they were rested. They consumed around 340 calories more, mostly because they ate more snacks and carbohydrate-rich food. Researchers from King's College London also found that adults consumed an additional 385 calories – the equivalent of one and a half Mars Bars – on days after they were deprived of kip by combining the results of 11 previous studies. More desire for food Foods, especially those high in calories, are more appetising when we are sleep deprived because we subconsciously know they will boost our energy. A German study showed the lengths sleepy people would go to for calorific snacks using 32 healthy men. After a normal dinner and either a restful or restless night's sleep, the men were given three Euros to spend on snacks and told to bid the maximum amount they were willing to spend on each item. When sleep deprived. participants were willing to pay extra for the junk food items - which they were allowed to eat afterwards - suggesting a stronger desire. Fat storage more likely Scientists have warned that not getting enough sleep changes how the body deals with food, which could then lead to weight gain. One study showed that men who ate a large bowl of chilli mac and cheese after four nights of bad sleep reacted differently to the food than those who were well-rested. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University said blood tests showed lipids (fats) from foods were cleared faster, suggesting they were being stored almost instantly. The process did not spring back to its normal rate even after the men were given a long night's sleep. The study also challenged previous claims that sleeping over nine hours each night is harmful. Previous research has suggested "long sleepers" could be at higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Researchers said "misclassification" may be to blame, as 21 per cent of 'long sleepers' actually slept less than six hours, suggesting that time spent in bed is often confused with actual sleep time. Prof Shengfeng Wang, senior author of the study, said: 'Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity. 'It's time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration.' The study team suggested that inflammation could be upping the risk of disease in people who sleep poorly, as disrupted sleep might trigger immune responses that contribute to illness. Researchers concluded: "Our results may suggest that the various dimensions of sleep traits deserve more attention in future studies and that pursuing comprehensive control of sleep traits may have greater benefit for health over merely ensuring adequate sleep duration." Fortunately, there are easy things we can do to correct some – if not all – our poor sleep habits, they suggested. "For example, the disruption of sleep rhythm can be substantially improved if the unhealthy habit of social media use before sleep (so-called Twitter jetlag) can be corrected," they said. Next, the team will look into whether sleep improvements can reduce the risk of disease over time. The best sleep routine and environment Thomas Høegh Reisenhus, TEMPUR® sleep specialist & sleep counsellor, reveals the key components of a good bedtime routine and environment... A sure-fire way to facilitate a better night's sleep is to practice good sleep hygiene. Establish a sleep routine that works for you and stick to it. This will help your body establish a consistent, natural sleep-wake cycle which can do wonders for your overall sleep quality. As such, try to avoid making up for lost sleep with a lie-in. Instead of sleeping in, spend your morning reading a book in bed or having a leisurely coffee in the kitchen. Ensure that your bedroom, bedding, and sleepwear are fit for purpose too. The ideal sleep environment is dark, quiet, and cool – much like a cave. If you find unwelcome sources of light are keeping you up, consider investing in an eye mask or black-out curtains. Adding soft furnishings can be a great way to reduce noise, with the surfaces having an absorptive quality, but if this doesn't work, consider embracing a soothing soundtrack to block it out. In terms of temperature, try to keep your bedroom at 18°C. You can further reduce the risk of waking up due to overheating by ensuring that all your bedding and sleepwear is made with natural, breathable materials such as cotton and linen. Bear in mind that everyone is different; what might work for most, may not work for you! Whilst knowing how much sleep you should get, how to overcome common barriers, and practicing good sleep hygiene can facilitate a great night's sleep, if you continue to struggle with sleep or fatigue persistently, do not hesitate to visit a doctor or health professional for support.
