Poor quality of sleep associated with poorer control of blood sugar after meals
A new study published in a journal Diabetologia finds that later bedtime routines and poor sleep quality are associated with higher blood glucose levels and poorer control of blood sugar following meals. The authors examined whether night-to-night fluctuations in sleep duration, efficiency, or timing affect postprandial (after meal) glucose response to breakfast the following day.
Quality of sleep has a direct causal effect on many life-threatening conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes (T2D); and disturbed sleep caused by conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea is associated with both the prevalence of T2D and the risk of complications arising from the disease. This and other evidence suggest a strong link between the quality and duration of sleep and the ability of the body to regulate glucose levels properly.
A significant interaction was found between sleep duration and postprandial glycaemic response when the nutritional content of the breakfast meal was also considered. Following a high-carbohydrate, high-fat breakfast, more extended sleep periods were associated with lower blood glucose levels.
A study participant who slept longer than usual had lower postprandial blood glucose after a high-carbohydrate or high-fat breakfast the next day. A later sleep midpoint was linked to higher blood glucose levels. In both comparisons between study participants and individual participant variations in sleep patterns, this effect negatively impacted glycemic control.
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