Sleep 'sweet spot' may lower diabetes risk

A study of more than 10,000 adults found an optimal nightly sleep duration of about 7 hours 19 minutes linked with estimated glucose disposal rate, a measure used for insulin resistance; weekend catch-up sleep showed mixed effects depending on weekday sleep habits.

A new study examined links between sleep duration, sleep variability and insulin resistance, a key factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes. Researchers analyzed data collected from 2009 to 2023 on more than 10,000 adults aged 20 to 80. They used estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR) as a measure of insulin resistance and applied advanced modeling to assess how nightly sleep hours and weekend catch-up sleep related to eGDR. The study reported a specific nightly duration associated with optimal eGDR. Key findings: - The analysis included data from over 10,000 participants aged 20–80, collected between 2009 and 2023. - The reported optimal sleep duration for peak eGDR was 7.32 hours (about 7 hours 19 minutes). - The study reported that sleeping less than about 7 hours 19 minutes was associated with higher eGDR (reported as lower insulin resistance), while sleeping more was associated with lower eGDR (reported as higher insulin resistance), with stronger associations noted for women and people aged 40–59. - Weekend catch-up sleep was reported to have a conditional effect: it appeared beneficial only for people with a weekday sleep deficit and only in moderation (about 1–2 hours), but was reported as lowering eGDR for people who already met weekday sleep recommendations and was worse when weekend sleep exceeded weekday sleep by two or more hours. - The authors noted a possible cycle in which poor glycemic health can disrupt sleep patterns, and abnormal or extended sleep may further affect metabolic health. Summary: These results identify a measurable nightly sleep duration tied to a common marker of insulin resistance and highlight that variability and weekend catch-up sleep can have different effects depending on weekday sleep. The authors emphasized the conditional nature of weekend catch-up sleep and the importance of personalized guidance for people with metabolic concerns. Undetermined at this time.