NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Lack of adequate sleep at night increases the risk of low bone mineral density and contributes to osteoporosis, a new study suggests.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Buffalo and published in the Journal of Bone and Minerals Research, was aimed at detecting the impact of reduced sleep hours on women's bone health after menopause.
The team monitored the sleeping habits of more than 11,000 women and performed bone health tests.
The researchers found that women who reported five hours or less of sleep at night had lower bone mineral density at all four sites assessed - the entire body, hip, neck and spine - compared to women who reported seven hours at night.
After five hours of sleep, the bone mass in women decreased by 22%.
"Our study suggests that lack of sleep may negatively affect bone health, which is in addition to the list of adverse health effects of poor sleep," said lead researcher Dr. Heather Ochs Balcom.
"I hope this study will also serve as a reminder of the need to sleep for seven hours or more, which is the recommended hours at night."
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone that weakens it, makes it fragile and more prone to fracture.It affects men and women.It results in fractures of the wrist, hip, vertebrae, and other places.It is not contagious but certain factors play a role.
According to the National Library of Medicine in the United States, half of women over 50, and a quarter of men over 50, have a fracture caused by osteoporosis.
Mechanism of the disease
Bone is a living tissue that undergoes a continuous demolition and construction process. Old bone tissue is demolished and replaced with new bone tissue.
In osteoporosis, the demolition process dominates the construction process, leading to decreased bone density and strength. The name osteoporosis reflects this meaning. The word "osteoporosis" means: porous bone.
Osteoporosis is a silent disease, usually not known to the patient until after a fracture leads to complications may be long-term.