Sleep more to improve your health

So many people are sleep-deprived these days due to work and family responsibilities that we can identify walking zombies in almost any setting in the U.S. Yet, research is telling us that the less we sleep the more prone we will be to obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes and that lack of proper rest can also exacerbate other diseases such as muscular sclerosis, arthritis and heart-related ailments. Apparently, a good night's sleep better regulates blood glucose levels, keeps blood pressure in check and also helps us lose more weight when we are dieting. A study in the June 8 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that participants in the study with less sleep saw their blood pressure rise more than those who slept 7 or 8 hours. Just this week researchers presenting at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies said people with insomnia or those who had less than five hours had the greatest increased risk of developing diabetes, according to Science Daily. Those who slept between five and six hours a night also increased their risk of developing diabetes. It's another correctable risk, but easier said than done for many people whose life challenges just don't allow eight hours of sleep per night.