Irregular sleep patterns lead to increased risk of type 2 diabetes – study

Getting consistent amounts of sleep could help stave off type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.

People who had irregular sleep patterns – where day-to-day sleep duration varied by more than 60 minutes on average – had a 34% higher diabetes risk than those who had more regular sleep, researchers found.

The findings suggest regular sleep is important for the prevention of diabetes.

Our findings underscore the importance of consistent sleep patterns as a strategy to reduce type 2 diabetes

The research suggests that irregular sleep duration is associated with diabetes risk regardless of genetic risk and average sleep duration.

Lead author Sina Kianersi, a research fellow in the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, USA , said: “Our study identified a modifiable lifestyle factor that can help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

“Our findings underscore the importance of consistent sleep patterns as a strategy to reduce type 2 diabetes.”

In the study, researchers analysed sleep patterns over the course of seven nights and then followed people for more than seven years.

Data from more than 84,000 people in the UK Biobank Study was used to investigate any possible association between sleep and type 2 diabetes.

Those involved were an average age of 62 years who were initially free of diabetes, and wore accelerometers – devices like watches that monitor movement – for seven nights.

Our findings have the potential to improve diabetes prevention on multiple levels

The study found that more irregular sleep duration was associated with higher diabetes risk after adjusting for a wide range of risk factors.

This association was more pronounced in individuals with longer sleep duration.

Dr Kianersi said: “Our findings have the potential to improve diabetes prevention on multiple levels.

“Clinically, they might inform better patient care and treatment plans.

“Public health guidelines could promote regular sleep patterns.

“However, more research is needed to fully understand the mechanism and confirm the results in other populations.”

The study is published in the Diabetes Care journal.