For those looking to reduce their risk of Type 2 diabetes, a steady slumber could be just as critical as diet and exercise. A recent study published in Diabetes Care by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital highlights, the importance of regular sleep patterns in preventing this increasingly common disease. By following participants over several years, investigators discovered a significant link between irregular sleep and diabetes risk.

Sleep inconsistency was found to increase the odds of developing diabetes by a striking 34 percent, a figure that holds up even after considering other risk factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and obesity. "Our study identified a modifiable lifestyle factor that can help lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes," stated lead author Sina Kianersi, according to The Harvard Gazette. A concerning statistic to note, Type 2 diabetes currently plagues nearly half a billion individuals globally, a number predicted to surge to 1.3 billion by 2050.

The research, which looked into over 84,000 participants from the U.K. Biobank Study, employed accelerometry data to track activity and sleep over seven nights. Subjects, who were an average age of 62 and predominantly female and white, were initially free of diabetes and monitored over 7½ years. While the study addresses a strong correlation between sleep irregularity and diabetes, it does bring to light some limitations regarding the demographic representation and potential changes in lifestyle that occurred prior to the data collection.

With a growing concern for public health, the findings may inform future clinical approaches and influence public health guidelines to promote better sleep continuity. "Our findings have the potential to improve diabetes prevention on multiple levels," Kianersi told The Harvard Gazette. Nevertheless, researchers emphasize the need for further investigation, particularly to explore biological reasons behind sleep irregularity's impact on diabetes risk, and to extend the study to more diverse populations and younger age groups.

The study's authors also include Brigham’s Heming Wang, Tamar Sofer, and Susan Redline; along with additional authors Raymond Noordam, Andrew Phillips, Martin K. Rutter, and Tianyi Huang. It's noteworthy to mention that Andrew Phillips, one of the study's authors, has direct ties to the industry with research funding from Versalux and Delos, and also holds a directorial position at Circadian Health Innovations PTY LTD. As for the study's financial backing, support came from the National Institutes of Health and the UKB project, bolstered by an American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship backing Kianersi.