Gestational diabetes (a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy) is a growing concern around the world. It’s something my patients and participants in my online pregnancy program are motivated to prevent. In my program, I devote a full module to this topic, including testing options, lifestyle modifications to prevent disease progression, the role of supplements in healthy blood sugar regulation, and conventional treatment options.
This month the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a new study highlighting the role of sleep in preventing gestational diabetes. Of particular interest were these two associations:
- Sleeping less than 7 hours per night was associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes
- Late sleep midpoint (the midpoint of time fallen asleep and time awoken being after 5am) was also independently associated with an increased risk
This tells us that it’s not just how many hours you sleep at night, but also what time you go to bed – sleeping in is not enough to make up for a late night.
So ladies, if you needed another excuse to get to be earlier and leave the dishes to someone else, this is a good one : )
I hope you have found this helpful, and do let me know if you have any questions!
If you are hungry for more evidence-based information in your pregnancy, sign up for my free webinar: 7 Pregnancy Myths Debunked – and get the information you need to have a healthy pregnancy and a thriving baby.
And if you are a care-provider looking for evidence-based resources for your pregnant patients, please get in touch with us at support@myhealthypregnancyplan.com.
In health,
Dr Jocelyn Land-Murphy, ND
Terra Life
Disclaimer: The information and content provided is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not professional medical advice, nor is it intended to be a substitute therefore. Please consult the Disclaimer and Terms of Use for full details.
References:
Facco, F. et al. (2017). Objectively measured short sleep duration and later sleep midpoint in pregnancy are associated with a higher risk of gestational diabetes. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, June 6 2017.