Study Shows Sleep Duration May Increase Vulnerability to Blood Vessel Damage in Diabetics

New Delhi: People with Type 2 diabetes who experience short or long sleep duration are more prone to microvascular disease, or damage to the small blood vessels, which can lead to serious complications in the future, according to a study on Friday.

The study by Odense University Hospital in Denmark showed that microvascular complications, such as retinopathy and nephropathy, are the top contributors to complications associated with diabetes. Retinopathy can lead to vision problems and even blindness, while nephropathy can result in kidney failure, necessitating dialysis or transplantation.

Variations in sleep schedules can further heighten the risk of these complications, revealed the study. Disrupted sleep patterns, irregular sleep times, and poor sleep quality have been linked to increased stress on the cardiovascular system, which exacerbates the damage to small blood vessels.

The study included 396 participants, averaging 62 years old, with a high body mass index (BMI) and on antihypertensive medicine. Of these, 28 percent had long sleep duration, 60 percent had ideal sleep, and 12 percent had short sleep.

People with short sleep duration had a 38 percent prevalence of microvascular damage. Those with optimal sleep had an 18 percent risk, while the long sleep duration group had a 31 percent risk. People with short sleep duration had a 2.6 times higher chance of developing the condition, while the long sleep group had a 2.3 times higher risk than the optimal sleep category.

Age was another significant factor, said the researchers. People under the age of 62 had a 23 percent risk, and the number was nearly 6 times higher among the elderly. This suggests that as people age, their vulnerability to microvascular damage due to sleep disturbances increases significantly.

"Both short and long sleep durations are associated with a higher prevalence of microvascular disease compared to optimal sleep duration at night. Age amplifies the association between short sleep duration and microvascular disease, suggesting increased vulnerability among older individuals," the team said.

The researchers suggested lifestyle changes like maintaining good sleeping habits, including going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, creating a restful sleeping environment, and avoiding caffeine and heavy meals before bedtime. These changes could potentially reduce the risk of developing microvascular complications.

The study's findings underscore the importance of regular sleep patterns as part of diabetes management. Healthcare providers should consider sleep quality and duration when developing comprehensive care plans for patients with Type 2 diabetes.

However, the researchers stressed the need for further studies to better understand the mechanisms linking sleep duration with microvascular disease and to explore potential interventions. The study will be presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Spain, where it is expected to prompt further discussion and research into the critical role of sleep in diabetes management.