NEW DELHI: Not getting good sleep on a regular basis can heighten your risk of developing diabetes, a new study has suggested.
In a study published in the journal Diabetes Care, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) – the second largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School – analysed sleep patterns of more than 84,000 participants in the UK Biobank Study to investigate any possible association between sleep and Type 2 diabetes.
According to a BWH statement, participants in the study were of an average age of 62 years and initially free of diabetes. They wore accelerometers – devices like watches that monitor movement – for seven nights. The participants were followed for approximately 7.5 years, tracking diabetes development mostly through medical records.
“The data revealed that compared to participants with regular sleep patterns, those with irregular sleep (where day-to-day sleep duration varied by more than 60 minutes on average) had a 34% higher risk of developing diabetes. The risk decreased, yet persisted, even after accounting for lifestyle, co-morbidities, family history of diabetes, and obesity indicators,” the BWH said.
The study’s lead author, Sina Kianersi, said they identified a modifiable lifestyle factor that can help lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. “Our findings underscore importance of consistent sleep patterns as a strategy to reduce Type 2 diabetes,” she said.
Dr. Anoop Misra, chairman of Fortis C-Doc, said adequate sleep results in fewer swings in hormones, including cortisol, which affect blood sugar. tnn
In a study published in the journal Diabetes Care, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) – the second largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School – analysed sleep patterns of more than 84,000 participants in the UK Biobank Study to investigate any possible association between sleep and Type 2 diabetes.
According to a BWH statement, participants in the study were of an average age of 62 years and initially free of diabetes. They wore accelerometers – devices like watches that monitor movement – for seven nights. The participants were followed for approximately 7.5 years, tracking diabetes development mostly through medical records.
“The data revealed that compared to participants with regular sleep patterns, those with irregular sleep (where day-to-day sleep duration varied by more than 60 minutes on average) had a 34% higher risk of developing diabetes. The risk decreased, yet persisted, even after accounting for lifestyle, co-morbidities, family history of diabetes, and obesity indicators,” the BWH said.
The study’s lead author, Sina Kianersi, said they identified a modifiable lifestyle factor that can help lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. “Our findings underscore importance of consistent sleep patterns as a strategy to reduce Type 2 diabetes,” she said.
Dr. Anoop Misra, chairman of Fortis C-Doc, said adequate sleep results in fewer swings in hormones, including cortisol, which affect blood sugar. tnn