As we all know, the occurrence of diabetes has a lot to do with daily diet. Many people feel that as long as they control their diet, the risk of diabetes is greatly reduced.
However, a growing body of research confirms that diabetes risk is not only related to diet, but also to sleep. Some people may eat healthily every day, and the risk of diabetes is still not low!
Some diabetes comes from "sleeping"?
In March 2024, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (ALA) Online Open showed that the occurrence of diabetes is not only related to an unhealthy diet, but also directly related to sleep. And a healthy diet can't offset the increased risk of diabetes due to sleep. In other words: some people who eat healthily and don't sleep well can easily lead to diabetes.
This study included more than 240,000 people aged 38~71 years old, with an average age of 55.9 years and 52.3% of them women. A large amount of data was analyzed based on how much time they slept and how healthy they ate, and a total of 7905 people developed type 2 diabetes during a 12.5-year follow-up period.
After removing the influence of factors such as basic health conditions, lifestyle, and history of chronic diseases, the study found that:
1. "Short sleep time" is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, with the shorter the sleep time, the higher the risk;
2. A healthy diet "can't counteract" the risk of type 2 diabetes from not getting enough sleep.
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People who sleep like this may be susceptible to diabetes
1
People who sleep less than 6 hours
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (AAMC), people who sleep only 3~6 hours a day are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and although a healthy diet is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, it still does not offset the increased risk of short sleep duration.
Researchers have analyzed that short sleep duration may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes through a variety of mechanisms, such as leading to impaired cellular insulin sensitivity. Based on available research evidence, getting at least 7 hours of sleep per day may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in people who don't get enough sleep.
2
People who always love to snore when they sleep
Some people sleep with a constant snoring sound and wake up with a dizzy headset. This is not a sign of a good night's sleep, which is typical of sleep apnea.
Several epidemiological studies suggest that sleep apnea syndrome may be an independent risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes and is associated with poor glycaemic control and diabetes-related vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. People with sleep apnea syndrome are significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than healthy people because insulin resistance is positively correlated with sleep apnea severity.
The Expert Consensus on Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Diabetes issued by the Diabetes Branch of the Chinese Medical Association states that the presence of diabetes should be considered in patients experiencing sleep apnea syndrome, and the possibility of sleep apnea syndrome should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of all patients with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
3
People who are used to going to bed late and waking up late
A 2023 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that people who went to bed late and woke up late also had a greater risk of diabetes — a 72% increase in diabetes — compared to those who were used to going to bed early and waking up early.
This is because going to bed late and waking up late may increase the risk of diabetes due to circadian rhythm imbalances. Circadian rhythm disorders occur when circadian rhythms (including sleep-wake cycles, hormone secretion, thermoregulation, and metabolism) are out of sync with external physical processes (light, working hours). Circadian rhythm disorders may disrupt energy balance and contribute to the onset of diabetes.
4
People who are used to sleeping with the lights on
In life, some people can't sleep without turning off the light, but there are also many people who are used to leaving a light when they sleep, otherwise they won't be able to sleep soundly.
A 2022 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that sleeping with lights on not only increases the risk of diabetes, but may also impair our cardiovascular function.
The study recruited 20 healthy adults and randomly divided them into two groups, one with light sleep, and the other with lights on for 2 consecutive nights, and a control group for 2 consecutive nights in a dim environment.
It has been found that people who sleep with the lights on also have increased insulin resistance the next morning, leading to uncontrolled blood sugar, which may lead to diabetes in the long term. In addition, people who sleep with lights on also have an increased heart rate at night, which may have some impact on cardiovascular health.
Therefore, if we want to really stay away from diabetes, in addition to our daily healthy diet, we should also pay attention to the quality of sleep at night: ensure sufficient sleep time, go to bed early and get up early, turn off all kinds of light sources, and if there are more serious sleep breathing problems, we should go to the sleep apnea department of the hospital in time.
bibliography
[1] Diana Aline Nôga,et al.,(2024). Habitual Short Sleep Duration, Diet, and Development of Type 2 Diabetes in Adults. JAMA Netw Open,DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.1147.
[2] Chinese Society of Respiratory Diseases, Chinese Society of Diabetes, Chinese Society of Diabetes, Chinese Society of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Diabetes Mellitus[J].Chinese Journal of Tuberculosis and Respiration,2010,33(5):32-330
[3] Kianersi S, Liu Y, Guasch-Ferré M, et al. Chronotype, Unhealthy Lifestyle, and Diabetes Risk in Middle-Aged U.S. Women : A Prospective Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med. 2023; 176(10):1330-1339. doi:10.7326/M23-0728
[4] Mason, Ivy C., et al. "Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119.12 (2022): e2113290119.
Source: Health Times