Too little sleep associated with risk of Type 2 diabetes

UF Health Podcasts

The list of risk factors for Type 2 diabetes is a long one. Eating a poor, sugar-rich diet. A sedentary lifestyle. Obesity. Here’s another one you probably haven’t thought about: sleep.

A study by Swedish researchers shows that night owls who only get three to five hours of sleep a day increase their risk of diabetes. That’s compared with people who get seven or eight hours.

Scientists have previously associated diabetes risk with lack of sleep. What makes this study interesting is that it found that even those who eat a healthy diet still had elevated odds of getting diabetes if they didn’t sleep enough.

That underscores the importance of sleep in maintaining good health.

Investigators used data from the UK Biobank. This is a study of half a million Brits who have been genetically mapped and answered questions about their health and lifestyle. Participants were tracked for 10 years.

Of course, disease risk can differ from person to person. The impact of sleep deprivation depends largely on genetics.

None of this is reason to ditch a good diet. The study showed that people with a healthy diet lowered their disease risk. But they got a bonus if they slept well.

Those diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes have difficulty processing glucose, or sugar. They cannot adequately absorb insulin in their cells, which keeps blood sugar high. And that causes a host of issues over time, including damage to nerves and blood vessels.

Getting a good night’s sleep is a health imperative. Failing to do so has been shown to raise the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Chronic fatigue can be a killer.