Lack of Sleep in Pregnancy May Contribute to Gestational Diabetes; Try these Foods for Better Sleep

Pregnant women may develop gestational diabetes due to lack of sleep or any other sleeping disorders. According to the study published in the journal of Sleep Medicine Reviews, the amount of time spent sleeping has dropped significantly in the past 20 years with almost a quarter of women and 16 percent men experiencing insufficient sleep. "Links between reduced sleep duration and increased diabetes risk have been reported in several large studies in non-pregnant populations," said Dr. Sirimon Reutrakul, associate professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.

The research has also linked short sleep duration to elevated blood sugar levels in pregnant women; however, many of them were small. "More information is needed to determine if short sleep duration is a contributing factor to the development of gestational diabetes," said Reutrakul who's also the lead author of the study. Pregnant women are said to suffer gestational diabetes, a condition that usually occurs in the second or third trimester.

The researchers performed a meta-analysis of eight studies that included 17,308 pregnant women who were assessed for sleep duration and gestational diabetes. The analysis showed that the average sleep duration of less than six hours was associated with a 1.7 fold increase in the risk of being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. "This is the first meta-analysis to find that both self-reported and objectively measured short sleep duration was associated with elevated blood sugar levels in pregnancy as well as an increased risk for developing gestational diabetes," continued Reutrakul.

"More research is needed to confirm our findings, and to determine whether sleep extension may be beneficial in lowering the risk of gestational diabetes," she stated.

Here are foods that you can consume in order to get some sound sleep-

1. Honey

Have a teaspoon of honey as you cosy in your blanket. It helps stimulate the production of tryptophan and at the same time inhibits the activity of orexin that keeps you alert.

2. Almonds

A handful of almonds will help you get a good sleep. It consists a good amount of fats, amino acids and magnesium that not only helps you sleep faster but also improves the quality of your sleep.

3. Glass of milk

Glass of warm milk has a calming effect on your brain. A lack of calcium in the body can often lead to disturbed sleep; hence a glass of warm milk will help you sleep better.

4. Banana

Bananas are high in carbohydrates that make tryptophan more available to the brain that further induce drowsiness. Magnesium in bananas also help relax your muscles and nerves.

While these foods are usually recommended as foods that help you sleep better - when pregnant, it is better to have everything green signalled by your doctor. Make sure you start anything new in your diet only after your family doctor's advise.

With Inputs from IANS