If you have a teenager at home, you know that their sleep habits can be difficult to manage. Sometimes, they sleep all the time and then other times they stay up all night. In order to improve their ability to focus in school and to maintain good general health, it’s a smart idea to promote regular sleep habits in adolescents. But researchers have found another reason to encourage a decent night’s rest – it may help to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.
Less Sleep May Mean Greater Risk of Diabetes
A new study published in the journal Sleep, found that teens who slept less had an increased risk for developing insulin resistance. People who have insulin resistance have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Lead author Karen Matthews commented on the findings.
“We found that if teens that normally get six hours of sleep per night get one extra hour of sleep, they would improve insulin resistance by 9 percent.”
Improve Your Teen’s Sleep Habits
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, most teenagers need about nine hours of sleep each night. The best tips for improving your teen’s ability to sleep at night may be the same tips for you to improve your night’s sleep. In fact, they may be more relevant for your teen.
Experts find that the use of smart phones in or near the bed has a negative effect on our ability to sleep. If you find that your teen keeps his or her phone near the bed, encourage them to charge it overnight in the kitchen or in some other room in the house. Physical activity during the day will also help your teen be ready for bed at a reasonable hour.