New research shows that getting a consistent night's sleep can help prevent type 2 diabetes. A study led by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, analyzed sleep patterns over seven nights and then followed participants for more than seven years.
Researchers found that irregular sleep schedules were associated with an increased risk of diabetes, with people with the most irregular sleep schedules having a 34% higher risk of developing diabetes than their peers. The findings, published in the scientific journal Diabetes Care, show the importance of regular sleep in preventing diabetes.
"Our study identifies a modifiable lifestyle change that can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes," said lead author Dr. Sina Kianersi, a researcher in the Division of Channing Network Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "Our findings highlight the importance of consistent sleep patterns as a strategy to reduce type 2 diabetes."
Type 2 diabetes affects nearly 500 million people worldwide and is one of the top ten leading causes of death and disability. The number of people with type 2 diabetes is expected to more than double by 2050, reaching 1.3 billion. This critical situation highlights the need for innovative strategies to prevent diabetes.
The new study analyzed accelerometer data from more than 84,000 participants in the UK Biobank study to investigate possible links between sleep and type 2 diabetes. Participants had an average age of 62 years (57% female, 97% white) and did not initially have diabetes. They wore accelerometers - exercise monitoring devices similar to watches - for seven nights. Participants were followed for approximately 7.5 years, tracking the development of diabetes primarily through medical records.
This study aimed to explore two key questions. First, to discover whether irregular sleep schedules contribute to the development of diabetes through circadian rhythm disruption and sleep disturbance. Second, to explore whether this association varies by genetic predisposition to diabetes.
The researchers found that, after adjusting for various risk factors, more irregular sleep schedules were associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes. This association was stronger among individuals who slept longer and had lower polygenic risk scores for diabetes.
The data showed that compared to participants with regular sleep, those with irregular sleep (an average sleep time difference of more than 60 minutes per day) had a 34% higher risk of developing diabetes. This risk continued to decrease even after accounting for lifestyle, comorbidities, family history of diabetes, and obesity indicators.
There are some limitations to the study. Some of the lifestyle information used in the study was collected five years before the accelerometer study began. This may affect the accuracy of the results. Additionally, assessment of sleep duration based on 7 days may not reflect long-term sleep patterns. Finally, study participants were primarily healthy, older, and white, and may not be representative of results from a more diverse population.
The researchers plan to study participants who are younger and of diverse ethnic backgrounds. They are also interested in exploring the biological reasons why irregular sleep patterns increase diabetes risk.
"Our findings have the potential to improve diabetes prevention on multiple levels," Kianersi said. "Clinically, they could inform better patient care and treatment planning. Public health guidelines could promote regular sleep patterns. However, more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and confirm these results in other populations."
Compiled from /ScitechDaily