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Lack of sleep raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes – even for healthy eaters, warns a new study.
Adults who sleep only three to five hours a night are more likely to develop the disease, according to the findings.
Scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden found that chronic sleep deprivation cannot be compensated for by healthy eating alone.
Lead researcher Professor Christian Benedict said: ‘I generally recommend prioritising sleep, although I understand it’s not always possible, especially as a parent of four teenagers.”
The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, examined the link between type 2 diabetes and sleep deprivation.
Type 2 diabetes affects the body’s ability to process sugar, resulting in high blood sugar levels. In some cases, the body does not produce enough insulin, the hormone which helps regulate blood glucose, and in others, it becomes resistant to it.
A 2020 report showed that more than 462 million people suffer from the disease.
What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?
Many people have type 2 diabetes without realising. This is because they may not always notice any symptoms.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include:
- peeing more than usual
- feeling thirsty all the time
- feeling very tired
- losing weight without trying to
- itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
- cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- blurred vision
You’re more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you:
- are over 40 years old, or over 25 if you’re from an Asian, Black African or Black Caribbean ethnic background
- have a close relative with diabetes (such as a parent, brother or sister)
- are overweight or living with obesity or are not very physically active
- are from an Asian, Black African or Black Caribbean ethnic background
Source: NHS
Over time, it can cause serious damage, particularly to nerves and blood vessels, and represents an escalating public health problem globally.
Diana Noga, a sleep researcher at the university, said: ‘Previous research has shown that repeated short daily rest increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, while healthy dietary habits such as regularly eating fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk.
‘However, it has remained unclear whether people who sleep too little can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by eating healthily.’
The researchers analysed information from the UK Biobank, in which nearly half a million participants from the UK have been genetically mapped in combination with questions on health and lifestyle.
They followed the participants for more than 10 years and found that a sleep duration of between three and five hours was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The study found that healthy eating habits lead to a lower risk of developing the disease.
It is recommended that people need to eat healthily and maintain more than six hours a day of sleep to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Prof Benedict added: ‘Our results are the first to question whether a healthy diet can compensate for lack of sleep in terms of the risk of type 2 diabetes.
‘They should not cause concern, but instead be seen as a reminder that sleep plays an important role in health.’
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