We’ve already discussed the connection between circadian rhythms, which are influenced by our sleep and wake cycles (and vice versa), and health. When our circadian rhythms are out of sync and irregular, it disrupts our body’s processes, increases inflammation, and can increase our risk of disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity.
But what about diabetes? While there is some evidence that irregular sleep and circadian rhythms may increase diabetes risk, a new study published July 17, 2024 in Diabetic treatments We wanted to know how strong this link was and whether having a genetic propensity for diabetes would increase this risk.Let’s see what they found.
How was this study conducted and what did it reveal?
The participants were all part of the UK Biobank, a large, ongoing community cohort study in the United Kingdom. The researchers selected 84,421 participants with the information and demographic characteristics needed for the study from more than 500,000 people in the Biobank. At the time of enrollment in the Biobank (2006–2010), participants were aged 40–69 years and did not have diabetes. About 57% of them were women.
Participants provided information about their demographics, lifestyle, and family medical history. They also provided blood samples and physical measurements (height, weight, waist circumference, etc.). Researchers also had access to participants’ medical records.
When they enrolled in the Biobank, participants wore a waterproof accelerometer on their dominant wrist for 7 days. The accelerometer recorded movements and sleep duration so that researchers could determine how long participants slept and how regular their sleep patterns were.
Additionally, each participant was tested for specific genes that tend to predispose people to diabetes. One of the hypotheses the researchers tested in this study was whether people with a higher genetic risk of diabetes would be more affected by irregular sleep patterns, putting them at an even higher risk of diabetes.
Participants were followed for an average of 7.5 years. During this period, 2,058 participants developed diabetes.
After statistical analysis, the results were in. Before adjusting for some confounding factors, people with irregular sleep patterns had a 35% higher risk of diabetes than those with more regular sleep patterns. After accounting for and adjusting for some medical conditions and adiposity (body fat, especially in the abdominal area), the risk dropped to 11%, but the link remained strong.
What is surprising is that when sleep patterns are irregular, it is not people with a higher genetic predisposition to diabetes who are at higher risk. In this study, the data suggest that it is people with a lower genetic risk of developing diabetes who are at higher risk.
The association between irregular sleep patterns and diabetes was also stronger in people who tended to sleep on average more than the recommended amount, in this case, more than 8 hours per night.
They also found that when sleep irregularities averaged an hour or more per night, it also increased participants’ risk of diabetes. This may be tricky to explain, but let’s say you sleep between 9 and 10 hours per night over the course of a week. Since this number of hours of sleep is higher than the recommended amount and ranges from 9 to 10 hours per night, this lack of regularity, especially when it’s higher than the recommended amount, can increase the risk of diabetes.
How does this apply to real life?
The researchers suggested several possible reasons why longer, irregular sleep patterns appear to be associated with a higher risk of diabetes. First, they say sleeping longer than recommended decreases the amount of daylight exposure, which can disrupt circadian rhythms. Irregular sleep patterns also disrupt circadian rhythms, so people who sleep irregularly and longer than recommended find themselves in a double-edged situation.
They also explain that our body’s circadian system coordinates certain metabolic processes, such as insulin secretion and glucose metabolism. When circadian rhythms are disrupted, it can lead to decreased insulin sensitivity and impaired glucose metabolism, which can put you at higher risk for diabetes and other related cardiometabolic diseases, such as heart disease.
When we don’t get enough sleep or when our sleep patterns are irregular, it can also disrupt our eating habits, as well as cause inflammation and gut dysbiosis (an unfavorable ratio of beneficial to non-beneficial gut bacteria).
So what are your sleep habits like? Are you sleeping too much or too little? Are you sleeping consistently every night?
Establish a bedtime routine that includes turning off your devices, dimming the lights, and letting your brain wind down and your body prepare for sleep. Alcohol and an unhealthy gut microbiome can disrupt sleep, as can eating too close to bedtime. So, sticking to eating habits earlier in the day can help promote sleep patterns at night. And be sure to include gut-friendly foods to help your microbiome thrive. This includes plant-based foods that will feed your beneficial bacteria, as well as fermented foods, like yogurt and kimchi, which will add probiotics (friendly bacteria) to your gut.
If you feel like you’re getting enough sleep but still feel exhausted, it could be a sign of a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can affect your heart, so it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider.
The essential
This study adds to a growing body of research that shows how irregular sleep patterns affect many other aspects of our lives, including increasing inflammation levels in our bodies and our risk of disease. Specifically, it suggests that irregular sleep patterns combined with more than the recommended amount of sleep increase the risk of developing diabetes compared to people with more regular sleep patterns, who average about 8 hours of sleep per night. It’s important to recognize the importance of sleep and make it a priority for your overall good health.