Losing sleep has adverse effect on diabetes care

Not getting enough beauty sleep every night could play a role in reducing blood sugar control amongst African Americans with type 2 diabetes. The results come from a study conducted this week at the University of Chicago and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study team also predicted that similar conclusions could be drawn for other ethnic groups.
Dr. Eve Van Cauter and colleagues stated: “Sleep curtailment has become increasingly prevalent in modern society and it cannot be excluded that this behavior has contributed to the current epidemic of type 2 diabetes.” The team went further to suggest that increasing the quantity and quality of sleep could contribute to managing blood sugar levels better.
The team investigated over 160 African Americans who have type 2. They were found to sleep an average of 6 hours per night. Only a small percentage managed to get more than 8 hours of sleep, and 71 per cent had poor quality sleep.
Higher A1C levels, according to the team, indicating poorer blood sugar control, were found to be strongly associated with sleep quality and quantity. The team factored in possible confounding circumstances such as being overweight .
Many people who have diabetes also face painful complications that disrupt regular sleeping patterns. The authors concluded: “The magnitude of these effects is comparable to those of widely used oral anti-diabetes agents. The growing tendency to burn the candle at both ends may be a significant contributor to the current epidemic of diabetes. One way to combat this epidemic may be to repay our mounting sleep debt .”