Irregular Sleep Patterns Linked to Elevated Diabetes Risk

A new study reveals that irregular sleep can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and older adults by 34%. Consistent sleep patterns are recommended as a preventive strategy. Researchers followed over 84,000 participants from the UK Biobank to monitor the impact of sleep irregularity on diabetes development.

A recent study has found that weeklong irregular sleep can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and older people by 34%. The researchers highlighted that although assessing sleep duration over seven days may not capture long-term sleep patterns, modifying this lifestyle factor can help reduce the risk of developing the disease.

Published in Diabetes Care, the study showed the link was more pronounced among those who slept longer and had a lower genetic risk of diabetes. Lead author Sina Kianersi, a research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the US, emphasized the importance of consistent sleep patterns to mitigate the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The research team followed more than 84,000 participants from the UK Biobank dataset, with an average age of 62 years, over seven years to monitor the development of the metabolic disease. They found that individuals with sleep duration variability of more than 60 minutes had a 34% higher risk of diabetes compared to those with less variability. After adjusting for various factors, this risk was reduced to 11%.

(With inputs from agencies.)