Experts connect sleep deprivation to elevated risk of developing diabetes

Apr 10 2014

Excessive noise is a common cause for a loss of sleep. Now, experts connect sleep deprivation to an elevated risk of developing diabetes.

"There is some evidence that sleep deprivation could lead to a pre-diabetic state," says Mark Mahowald, MD, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Hennepin County.

For many people, the body's reaction to sleep loss can resemble insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes according to Mahowald. Insulin's job is to help the body use glucose for energy. In insulin resistance, cells fail to use the hormone efficiently, resulting in high blood sugar.

Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not properly use the insulin. When insulin is not doing its job, high blood sugar levels build in the body to the point where they can harm the eyes, kidneys, nerves, or heart.

Assuring a good night's sleep is vital to proper health. Reducing excessive noise is important to assuring better sleep.

"In general, people with diabetes have to be very careful about sleep because anything that throws off their routine can make them feel a lack of energy and fatigue," says Susan Zafarlotfi, PhD, clinical director of the Institute for Sleep and Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.

"The more fatigued they feel, the more their motor is running, and the more likely they are to develop insulin deficiencies. Proper sleep is as important as diet for people with diabetes," she says.

So how does this relate to your windows?

Experience shows that less noise creates a better sleep environment.

Most noise that comes in to a home comes through the windows not the walls. While many people spend thousands of dollars on "sound proofing" the walls of their buildings, laboratory studies show that more than 90% of all the exterior noise comes in through doors and windows.

The single biggest way to reduce noise in a home is to use noise blocking add-on windows.

Traditional dual pane windows are ineffective at handling noise issues. They are designed to handle heat and cold. The engineering needed for sound is quite different from handling temperature. That's why people looking for noise relief who simply replace their dual pane windows are often disappointed.

A solution that has shown to reduce noise levels by 75% to 95% is adding genuine Soundproof Windows®. These are add-on windows which install quickly in the interior of a room. They blend with the window frame and dramatically reduce the level of outside noise that comes into a living space.

This translates into a better environment for a good night's sleep.

"We have taken recording studio window technology and applied it to the home," said Randy Brown, founder and president of Soundproof Windows, Inc. "That's why these windows are so effective at reducing unwanted noise."

Independent laboratory tests confirm noise reductions of 92 to 99% as verified by audio instrumentation. While the human ear cannot detect that level of precision, the difference in noise levels in a room is significant.

Each Soundproof Window is carefully crafted to fit the window or sliding door it will enhance. These are then easily installed. Many customers who are handy install the windows in their homes themselves.

Soundproof Windows have been produced since 1998 and are the most vigorously tested and verified soundproofing windows in the world.