People who do not get enough sleep run the risk of developing serious health problems including cancer, diabetes and heart disease, experts have today warned.
The British public has been accused of becoming 'arrogant' in ignoring the vital importance of getting enough shut-eye each night.
Smartphones, social media, tablet computers and watching television in bed, have all been blamed for interrupting the body's production of the sleep inducing hormone melatonin.
Experts from Oxford, Havard and Surrey universities told the BBC, as part of the corporation's Day of the Body Clock, that the Government should take the issue seriously.
People who do not get enough sleep run the risk of developing serious health problems including cancer, heart disease and diabetes, experts have today warned
They highlighted the importance of sleep in influencing a person's mood, level of alertness and physical strength.
Meanwhile doctors writing in The Lancet medical journal recently suggested that sleep could be prescribed to help those people suffering metabolic disorders, including diabetes and obesity.
'Metabolic health, in addition to genetic predisposition, is largely dependent on behavioural factors such as dietary habits and physical activity,' experts wrote in the The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal.
'In the past few years, sleep loss as a disorder characterising the 24-hour lifestyle of modern societies has increasingly been shown to represent an additional behavioural factor adversely affecting metabolic health.'
The study said that addressing some types of sleep disturbance – such as sleep apnoea – may have a directly beneficial effect on patients' metabolic health.
But a far more common problem is people simply not getting enough sleep, particularly due to the increased use of devices such as tablets and portable gaming devices.
The disruption of the body's natural sleeping and waking cycle, often experienced by shift workers and those working at night, has also been found to have a clear affect on metabolic health, as well as an increase in rates of chronic illness and early death.
Scientists have said people who use their tablet computers and smartphones in bed are exposing themselves to more blue light, which can inhibit the body's production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin
The prevalence of life-threatening health problems, including cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease is increased in those who compromise on their sleep, studies claim.
Professor Russell Foster, at the University of Oxford, accused people of being 'arrogant' in turning their back on years of evolution that has seen the human species rely on the sleep cycle.
SLEEP DISRUPTION CAN INCREASE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS
Research has found too little sleep at night can increase cholesterol levels by nearly two-thirds.
The study, published in the journal Sleep Medicine, suggests sleep disruption - including lying in for too long - causes more damage to women than men.
Women getting six hours sleep or less were found to be 65 per cent more likely to have a raised cholesterol level.
And those lying in bed for 10 hours or more were 27 per cent more at risk.
In contrast cholesterol levels in men seemed to hardly differ, no matter how long they spent sleeping.
Scientists say they are not sure why women seem to be more affected than men but stress the results may help shed light on why heart disease seems to be more prominent in those who do not get a full night's rest.
Lack of sleep may not actually cause high cholesterol but simply be a marker for an unhealthy lifestyle.
Poor sleepers tend to eat more high-energy-density food and have lower vitamin intake.
Previous studies also show they tend to exercise less and may be more likely to smoke and drink alcohol.
In a report on their findings, the researchers said: 'Self-reported short and long sleep durations were significantly associated with a poorer lipid (blood fat) profile in women, whereas these associations were not significant in men.'
He said:'We are the supremely arrogant species; we feel we can abandon four billion years of evolution and ignore the fact that we have evolved under a light-dark cycle.
'What we do as a species, perhaps uniquely, is override the clock. And long-term acting against the clock can lead to serious health problems.'
A person's body clock is, in part, driven by exposure to light and a need to sleep and rest is the product of a time when people were active during the day, resting at night.
But modern life has interrupted sleep patterns.
A 24-hour society coupled with technology disturbs the natural order, leading people to sleep at irregular times.
Experts said smartphones, tablet computers and social media keep people more alert later into the evening.
The blue light emitted by the devices has a shorter wavelength than whiter light, acting to inhibit the body's production of melatonin - the hormone which induces a need to sleep.
Havard University's Professor Charles Czeisler said: 'Light exposure, especially short wavelength blue-ish light in the evening, will reset our circadian rhythms to a later hour, postponing the release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin and making it more difficult for us to get up in the morning.
'It's a big concern that we're being exposed to much more light, sleeping less and, as a consequence, may suffer from many chronic diseases.'
A study being carried out at the University of Surrey is exploring the detrimental effect to a person's health that a lack of sleep can cause.
Shift work and short bursts of sleep at night can disrupt a person's daily rhythm.
Dr Simon Archer, who is leading the research, said 10 per cent of DNA has a 24-hour pattern of activity, which directly influences behavioural and physiological changes in the body.
'These are all fundamental biological pathways that can be underlying links to some of the negative health outcomes that we see, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and potentially cancer in people who don't get enough sleep or do shift work.'
TOP TIPS FOR GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP
Around eight hours sleep a night is recommended by sleep experts
- Keep your room dark
Light proof your bedroom, investing in curtains, blinds or an eye mask to try and prevent too much light getting in. Sleeping in darkness allows our bodies to produce melatonin, which forms an essential part of the sleeping cycle.
- Lie flat to avoid aches and pains
Ensure your pillows allow your neck to stay flat. Poor posture when you sleep can lead to aches and pains and long-term back problems, which can cause you to miss out on sleep due to the pain.
- Get your temperature right
Being too hot or too cold can disrupt a good night's sleep. The optimum temperature to guarantee an uninterrupted night is between 16 to 18C.
- To nap or not to nap?
Studies are divided on the benefits of napping during the day. For many, grabbing a quick rest does not inhibit their ability to sleep at night. But others have found a nap can make people feel more tired.
- Eat right to sleep tight
What you eat can have an impact on how you sleep. You should aim to eat dinner at least a couple of hours before going to bed and avoid stimulants such as caffeine and sugar. Drinking alcohol can result in poor quality, disrupted sleep.
- Get active to boost your sleep
Research has shown that those who are fit and healthy are much less likely to experience problems sleeping. It is not advisable to exercise too close to your bedtime, as your body temperature can take a few hours to drop back to a normal level.
- A clean home is more conducive to sleep
Dust and mould allergies can affect sleep as sufferers can find they get blocked sinuses at night. Ventilate your bedroom daily, change your sheets regularly and keep dust to a minimum.
- Get into a routine
Going to bed at roughly the same time every night can help your body recognise when it is time for sleep. It is advisable to try and avoid sedatives, such as sleeping pills, as their effect tends to be short lived.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2626981/The-great-sleep-gamble-Arrogance-ignoring-need-shut-eye-increase-risk-cancer-heart-disease-diabetes.html#ixzz31c9NJ5pL
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