Type 2 Diabetes Maybe Linked To Sleep Issues, Study Reveals

Recent findings suggest that sleep problems may be linked to type 2 diabetes risk factors; researchers from University of South Australia are urging individuals to prioritise getting a good sleep at night. 

In the first study of its kind, researchers discovered that a person with sleep issues is generally more likely to have inflammatory markers, high cholesterol, and body weight, all of which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Nearly a million people in Australia have type 2 diabetes. Globally, more than 422 million individuals are suffering from type 2 diabetes.

According to Dr. Lisa Matricciani of the University of South Australia, different aspects of sleep are connected to diabetes risk factors. "As we all know that sleep is essential, However, when we think about sleep, we mostly concentrate on the number of hours of sleep we get, but we should also be considering our overall sleep experience,” says Dr. Matricciani.

The quality of our sleep, when we go to bed and wake up, and the regularity of our sleep patterns may be just as significant as the amount of time we spend in bed.

In this study, the relationship between various characteristics of sleep and diabetes risk factors is closely examined, and it has been discovered that people, who had sleep related problems also had a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

More than 1,000 Australian individuals with a median age of 44.8 years were evaluated for the study. Self-reported trouble sleeping, duration, timing, efficiency, and day-to-day variations in sleep length were all factors that researchers looked at.

According to Dr. Matricciani, those who had a difficult sleeping pattern were also more likely to have higher BMIs, as well as blood markers for inflammation and cholesterol.

Dr. Matricciani continued, "In order to maintain our health, we must prioritise our sleep. However, as per the studies, it's critical to consider sleep holistically rather than focusing on just one factor.”