Diabetes and sleep: 4 things you need to know

September saw multiple study findings presented, and research published, drawing connections between type 2 diabetes and sleep.

The findings discussed excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep duration, bedtime blood pressure and the effects of hypertension medication when taken before sleep — and how they have all been shown to have an effect on the development of type 2 diabetes.

Here are 4 things you should know about these recent findings:

1. Excessive daytime sleepiness and long naps are related to an increase risk of type 2 diabetes.

According to study findings presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, a meta-analysis of 10 studies, including 261,365 Western and Asian participants, showed that excessive daytime tiredness and naps longer than 60 minutes per day both significantly increased the risk for type 2 diabetes by close to 50% .

In contrast, participants who reported taking shorter naps each day did not show an increased risk for diabetes.

Additional information: http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/online/%7B5c2e44bd-e66c-422a-bd98-488b261d9562%7D/excessive-daytime-sleepiness-long-naps-related-to-increased-risk-for-type-2-diabetes

2. Sleep-time blood pressure is a marker for type 2 diabetes risk.

According to research published in Diabetologia, blood pressure measurements taken at bedtime are a significant prognostic indicator for new-onset diabetes. The researchers also found that lowering blood pressure while asleep could be significant in reducing the risk for type 2 diabetes.

In addition, the research showed that a greater blood pressure surge in the morning, just before waking, was associated with lower, not higher, risk for type 2 diabetes.

Additional information: http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/online/%7B1a6b017a-4fbe-48fb-b703-aed73829ff24%7D/sleep-time-blood-pressure-serves-as-marker-for-type-2-diabetes

3. Sleep quantity has been shown to be associated with insulin sensitivity in men, and beta cell function in women.

According to study findings presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, men whose daily sleep duration falls outside the 7-to-8-hour range have lower insulin sensitivity, compared to those who fall within that range.

The researchers found no such connection between sleep duration and insulin sensitivity in women. However, they noted an association between long and short sleep duration in women and increased beta cell function.

Additional information: http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/online/%7Ba33d20a8-1cb8-4ce7-b97f-736911a80698%7D/sleep-duration-associated-with-insulin-sensitivity-in-men-beta-cell-function-in-women

4. Taking hypertension medication before bedtime reduces diabetes risk.

According to research in Diabetologia, adults with hypertension who do not have diabetes can reduce the risk for developing the disease when they administer their blood pressure medication at bedtime, compared to those who take their medication upon waking up.

The researchers said ingesting the medication at bedtime improved their blood pressure control while asleep, reducing the risk for diabetes.

Additional information: http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/online/%7Bc6532dfd-ef72-4fe8-8893-ea3340f25e32%7D/hypertension-medication-before-bedtime-reduces-diabetes-risk