Irregular sleep cycles linked to greater diabetes risk

If you snooze away the alarm regularly, it might be comforting for you to know that your consistent sleep pattern could act as a protective shield against Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have unlocked a significant finding – middle-aged to older adults running on irregular sleep cycles carry a higher risk of developing diabetes compared to their counterparts who never miss out on their beauty sleep.

Sleep-diabetes connection

The study was led by Dr. Sina Kianersi, a research fellow in the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

“Our study identified a modifiable lifestyle factor that can help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Kianers. “Our findings underscore the importance of consistent sleep patterns as a strategy to reduce type 2 diabetes.”

The research team discovered adults displaying the most irregular sleep patterns woke up to a 34 percent higher diabetes risk than the regular sleepers. This eye-opening correlation emphasizes the pivotal role of regular sleep in keeping diabetes at bay.

Risks of inconsistent sleep

Type 2 diabetes is a buzzing health alert that affects nearly half a billion people across the globe. No surprises then, it bags a spot in the dreaded top 10 list of leading causes of death and disability.

With forecasts painting a grim picture of the affected number doubling by 2050, the research holds high relevance as an innovative strategy for diabetes prevention.

The team of investigators delved into accelerometry data from over 84,000 participants from the UK Biobank Study, aiming to draw a parallel between inconsistent sleep duration and diabetes. Participants, averaging 62 years, wore devices used to monitor movement for a week.

The research pivoted around two key questions – the possibility of irregular sleep durations instigating diabetes through circadian disruption and sleep disturbances, and whether any variations arise across genetic predispositions to diabetes.

Despite considering a wide array of risk factors, the findings confirmed a higher diabetes risk with more inconsistent sleep patterns. The link seemed to tighten in those who were more prone to sleep for longer durations or carried a lower genetic risk for diabetes.

Sleep link with diabetes

Compared to their “regular sleep” counterparts, participants showing irregular sleep (day-to-day sleep varying by over 60 minutes on average) were found to carry a 34% higher risk of developing diabetes.

Even after considering variables like lifestyle habits, family diabetes history, co-morbidities and obesity indicators, the risk was persistent, albeit at a smaller scale.

The research, though comprehensive, had its share of limitations. The lifestyle data analyzed for the study had been gathered up to 5 years prior, which might have influenced the accuracy of the findings.

Furthermore, a 7-day sleep duration assessment might not accurately represent long-term sleep patterns.

Potential to improve diabetes prevention

The researchers are keen to extend their study to younger participants and more racially diverse groups. The reasons behind sleep irregularity amplifying the risk of diabetes is their next exploration zone.

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

“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.”

Research team and funding

Besides Sina Kianersi, the BWH authors included Heming Wang, Tamar Sofer, and Susan Redline, with contributions from Raymond Noordam, Andrew Phillips, Martin K. Rutter, and Tianyi Huang (formerly at BWH).

The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health (grant number R01HL155395) and the UKB project 85501. Kianersi was supported by the American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Give yourself the gift of sound sleep and keep diabetes at a distance. Does this call for adapting to a regular sleep pattern starting tonight?

Remember, consistency is key when it comes to sleep. By making small changes and sticking to them, you can significantly improve your overall health in the long run.

The study is published in the journal Diabetes Care.

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