Poor Sleep Habits Tied to Diabetes Risk in a Variety of People

Persistently unhealthy sleep patterns have been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in a diverse adult population.

Persistently unhealthy sleep, whether too much or too little, is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in a racially and economically diverse adult population.
The study, published in Diabetologia, focused on tracking the sleep patterns of primarily low-income, middle- to older-age Black and white adults in the southeastern United States over time.
Results showed that individuals reporting highly variable sleep durations had the strongest association with diabetes, emphasizing the importance of maintaining consistent sleep patterns for metabolic health.
Long-term sleep patterns, particularly in disadvantaged populations, are suggested to be a contributing factor to racial and socioeconomic disparities in cardiometabolic health.
The authors recommended further research to understand the social and environmental factors that can disrupt healthy sleep and to explore if improving sleep health can reduce health disparities in the U.S.

Report from NASEM finds disparities in healthcare access for many Americans