Sleeping Problems Associated With Metabolic Syndrome

Loud snoring particularly predictive of metabolic syndrome development

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 1 (HealthDay News) -- People who have trouble sleeping, particularly those with loud snoring, may be at increased risk for developing metabolic syndrome, according to research published in the Dec. 1 issue of SLEEP.

Wendy M. Troxel, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues studied 812 subjects who completed a sleep questionnaire at baseline, were free of metabolic syndrome at that time, and then were evaluated for the condition three years later. The objective was to examine the association between sleep complaints and the development of metabolic syndrome.

The researchers found specific insomnia symptoms (unrefreshing sleep and difficulty falling asleep) predictive of metabolic syndrome development, with loud snoring increasing this risk more than two-fold and further predicting specific metabolic abnormalities (hyperglycemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). After adjustment for baseline metabolic abnormalities or apnea-hypopnea index, loud snoring was significantly predictive of metabolic syndrome, but difficulty falling asleep and unrefreshing sleep had only marginal significance.

"Difficulty falling asleep, unrefreshing sleep, and, particularly, loud snoring, predicted the development of metabolic syndrome in community adults. Evaluating sleep symptoms can help identify individuals at risk for developing metabolic syndrome," the authors write.

Three authors disclosed financial relationships with sleep product manufacturers and other medical device and/or pharmaceutical companies.

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