The more physically demanding your job, the greater the chances you sleep too little or too much at night, according to a new study.


The research, presented at the annual SLEEP 2013 meeting, shows that people with jobs that require physical activity are more likely to sleep fewer than six hours a night or more than nine hours a night. Both of these sleep durations have been linked with health problems in past studies, including cancer, stroke, obesity and diabetes, as well as higher risks of car crashes.


While sleep needs differ from person to person, the National Sleep Foundation generally recommends adults to get between seven and eight hours of sleep per night.


For the new study, researchers examined the sleep patterns of more than 17,000 people, and also categorized their job types into three groups: low activity, where they sat or stood a lot (like office workers); moderate activity, where they walked a lot for their job (like postal workers); and high activity, which involves manual labor (like construction workers).


People working moderate activity jobs had higher risks of regularly sleeping too short or too long at night, compared with people who had low activity jobs. And people who worked in high activity jobs had higher risks of regularly sleeping too short at night, compared with people who had low activity jobs.


Some possible explanations for this explanation include that physically intense jobs may require longer hours -- thereby cutting into sleep time -- or that physically intense jobs tend to be be more stressful, or that the activity leads to wakefulness at bedtime.


However, desk jockeys aren't totally in the clear either -- there's lots of research showing that sitting for long periods each day is linked with higher risks of diabetes, cancer, heart attack and even premature death.


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  • You're Ravenous


    If you find yourself hungry all day (and not because you skipped breakfast or have recently amped up your gym routine) it might be because you've been skimping on sleep. Research presented at the 2010 meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior linked little shuteye with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/sleep-hunger-deprivation-_n_1659954.html">higher levels of the hormone ghrelin</a>, the same one that triggers hunger, HuffPost reported. This uptick in the hunger hormone seems to lead to not only increased snacking, but also a hankering for <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/12/041206210355.htm">high-carb, high-calorie foods</a>, according to a 2004 study, which may help explain why people who don't get enough sleep are at a greater risk of obesity.




  • You're Weepy


    Ever find yourself tearing up over an embarrassing TV commercial? While women might be quick to blame PMS, it could be a lack of sleep sending your emotions into overdrive. A 2007 study found that sleep-deprived brains were <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-10-22-sleep-deprivation-brain_N.htm">60 percent more reactive</a> to negative and disturbing images, <em>USA Today</em> reported. "It's almost as though, without sleep, the brain had reverted back to more primitive patterns of activity, in that it was <a href="http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2007/10/22_sleeploss.shtml">unable to put emotional experiences into context</a> and produce controlled, appropriate responses," Matthew Walker, senior author of the study, said in a statement.




  • You're Forgetful Or Unfocused


    You might be tempted to blame your trouble focusing on your age or stress or your overflowing email inbox, but a lack of sleep could be the true culprit. Too few hours in dreamland has been linked to a <a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/emotions-cognitive">whole host of cognitive problems</a>, like difficulty focusing and paying attention, confusion, lower alertness and concentration, forgetfulness and trouble learning, WebMD reports. So next time you find yourself forgetting where you put your keys, consider how much sleep you got last night.




  • You Can't Shake That Cold


    If you keep coming down with the sniffles -- or can't seem to kick that never-ending case -- you might want to assess your sleep schedule. A 2009 study found that people who sleep fewer than seven hours each night have almost <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/17/science/sci-sleep17">three times the risk of catching a cold</a> than people who slept for at least eight hours, the <em>LA Times</em> reported.




  • You're Clumsier Than Usual


    First you knock the alarm clock off the dresser, then you spill the milk as you're pouring your cereal, then you stub your toe on the way out the door -- you've become a klutz overnight. Researchers don't know exactly why, but sleepy people seem to <a href="http://www.prevention.com/amisleepdeprived/list/5.shtml">"have slower and less precise motor skills,"</a> Clete Kushida, M.D., Ph.D., director of Stanford University Center for Human Sleep Research told <em>Prevention</em>. Reflexes are dulled, balance and depth perception can be a little wonky and since you may also have trouble focusing, reaction time can be slowed, meaning you can't quite catch the egg carton before it hits the floor.




  • You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling


    If you or your partner just can't get in the mood, and stress or an underlying health problem isn't to blame, you might want to spend some extra time between the sheets -- sleeping. Both men and women who don't get their 40 winks experience a <a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss">decreased sex drive</a> and less interest in doing the deed, WebMD reports. A lack of sleep can also <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/erectile-dysfunction/causes-of-low-libido.aspx">elevate levels of cortisol</a>, the stress hormone, according to Everyday Health, which doesn't help in the bedroom either.




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