Diabetes Risk Increased Three-fold By More Than Eight Hours Sleep Per Night

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Men who sleep too much or too little are at an increased risk of

developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a study by the New England

Research Institutes in collaboration with Yale School of Medicine

researchers.

 

The data published in the March issue of Diabetes Care were obtained

from 1,709 men, 40 to 70 years old. The men were enrolled in the

Massachusetts Male Aging Study and were followed for 15 years with

home visits, a health questionnaire and blood samples.

 

Six to eight hours of sleep was found to be most healthy. In

contrast, men who reported they slept between five and six hours per

night were twice as likely to develop diabetes and men who slept more

than eight hours per night were three times as likely to develop

diabetes, according to the lead author, H. Klar Yaggi, M.D.,

professor in Yale's Department of Internal Medicine, pulmonary

section. Previous data from the Nurses Health Study have shown

similar results in women.

 

" These elevated risks remained after adjustment for age,

hypertension, smoking status, self-rated health status and

education, " Yaggi said.

 

He said researchers are just beginning to recognize the hormonal and

metabolic implications of too little sleep. Among the documented

effects, Yaggi said, are striking alterations in metabolic and

endocrine function including decreased carbohydrate tolerance,

insulin resistance, and lower levels of the hormone leptin leading to

obesity. The mechanisms by which long sleep duration increase

diabetes risk requires further investigation.

 

" There is a lot of interest in determining whether sleep disturbances

such as a reduced amount of sleep or disorders like sleep apnea may

actually worsen the metabolic syndrome, " said Yaggi. Metabolic

syndrome is a cluster of risk factors including high blood pressure,

obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance which increase the

risk for heart disease and stroke.

 

 

 

Co-authors include Andre Araujo and John McKinlay. The research was

supported in part by the National Institute on Aging, the National

Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders, the Yale

Mentored Clinical Research Scholars Program from the National Center

for Research Resources, and a career development award from the

Veterans Affairs Health Services and Research and Development

Service.

 

Diabetes Care 29: 657-661 (March 2006)

 

Contact: Jacqueline Weaver

jacqueline.weaver

Yale University