Short sleep in women can lead to a higher likelihood of bone fracture, based on a study of 11,084 postmenopausal women, who are participants in the Women's Health Initiative.
The study, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, shows that women who would only have five hours of sleep per night indicated significantly lower values in four measures of body mass index (BMD). BMD was measured based on the whole body, the hip, the spine, and the neck.
"Our study suggests that sleep may negatively impact bone health, adding to the list of the negative health impacts of poor sleep. I hope that it can also serve as a reminder to strive for the recommended 7 or more hours of sleep per night for our physical and mental health”, said Heather M. Ochs-Balcom, Ph.D., an associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions and the study’s lead author.
The findings were independent of other factors, including race, age, smoking status, type of bone density scanner, the effects of menopause, alcohol use, exercise, use of sleeping pills, and BMI.
The team believes that the positive message they extracted out of the study is that sleep, like diet and exercise, is something people can work to change.
According to them, “It's really important to eat health[fully], and physical activity is important for bone health. That's the exciting part of this story — most of us have control over when we turn off the lights, when we put the phone down.”
Osteoporosis and bone issues
Meanwhile, around one in three women and one in five men in their 50s and older worldwide may be at risk of developing bone fracture caused by osteoporosis, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation. Fracture in people with osteoporosis may happen at the hips, wrists, and spine.
"If you are sleeping less, one possible explanation is that bone remodeling isn't happening properly," said Ochs-Balcom.
