Trouble sleeping? You could be at risk of type 2 diabetes

As the Christmas season starts to ramp up, University of South Australia researchers are reminding people to prioritise a good night's sleep as new research shows that a troubled sleep may be associated with risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

In the first study of its kind, researchers found that people who reported trouble sleeping were on average more likely to have indicators of poor cardiometabolic health - inflammatory markers, cholesterol and body weight -which can contribute to type 2 diabetes.

Globally, type 2 diabetes affects more than 422 million people. In this study, researchers examined the association of different aspects of sleep, and risk factors for diabetes, and found a connection between those who had troubled sleep and those who were at risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study assessed more than 1000 adults with a median age of 45 years. Researchers examined a range of sleep characteristics that included self-report trouble sleeping, duration, timing, efficiency, and day-to-day sleep length variability.

People who reported having trouble sleeping were also more likely to have a higher body mass index, as well as blood markers of cholesterol and inflammation. Hence we must prioritise our sleep to help stay in good health. So, as this study shows, it's important to think about sleep as a whole, not just as one aspect.

Reference:

Trouble sleeping? You could be at risk of type 2 diabetes; The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care, DOI: 10.1177/26350106221137896.