Sleeping only three to five hours a day increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study published by JAMA Network Open. The authors also show that chronic lack of sleep cannot be compensated by healthy eating alone.
“I generally recommend prioritising sleep, although I understand it’s not always possible, especially as a parent of four teenagers,” joked Christian Benedict, Associate Professor and sleep researcher at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences at Uppsala University and leading researcher behind the study.
Benedict and his team examined the link between type 2 diabetes and sleep deprivation. Type 2 diabetes affects how the body processes sugar, blocking insulin absorption and increasing blood sugar levels. Over time, it causes severe damage, particularly to nerves and blood vessels, and represents a global public health problem.
“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,” noted Diana Noga, a sleep researcher at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences at Uppsala University.
The researchers used data from the UK Biobank database, in which nearly half a million participants from the UK were genetically mapped and answered questions about their lifestyle. The team analysed data for over ten years and found that a sleep duration of between three and five hours was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In addition, even following healthy eating habits did not reduce the risk of developing diabetes for participants who slept less than six hours a day.
“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,” explained Benedict.
Nôga DA, Meth EMES, Pacheco AP, Tan X, Cedernaes J, van Egmond LT, Xue P, Benedict C. Habitual Short Sleep Duration, Diet, and Development of Type 2 Diabetes in Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Mar 4;7(3):e241147.