United States: Inconsistent slumber habits, characterized by alternating between extended and truncated sleep durations, can be detrimental, as per a novel investigation that identifies “erratic” sleep cycles as a potential precursor to type 2 diabetes.
The findings “emphasize the necessity of stable sleep patterns as a preventive measure against type 2 diabetes,” remarked principal investigator Sina Kianersi, a research fellow at the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
This groundbreaking research scrutinized sleep and health metrics of over 84,000 individuals participating in the ongoing UK Biobank Study. The cohort, with an average age of 62 years, was devoid of diabetes at the study’s inception.
For a duration of seven consecutive nights, participants donned an accelerometer—a device akin to a wristwatch that monitors nocturnal movement.
The investigators also observed whether participants developed type 2 diabetes over the ensuing 7.5 years.
Upon adjusting for a myriad of potential confounding elements, Kianersi’s team discerned a pronounced correlation between irregular sleep patterns and an escalated risk for type 2 diabetes.
“Irregular” sleep was delineated as a sleep duration variance of 60 minutes or more between nights.
Individuals with inconsistent sleep patterns were 34% more likely to manifest type 2 diabetes compared to those with more uniform nightly sleep durations.
The study did not elucidate the mechanisms by which fluctuating sleep durations might precipitate diabetes, but the Boston researchers postulate that “circadian disruption and sleep disturbances” could be influential factors.
The study was published on July 17 in the journal Diabetes Care.