Perpetual sleep deprivation has widespread health consequences, including a greater risk for diabetes. If you average less than 6 hours of sleep each night, you are more likely to develop diabetes, even if you eat healthily. A new study from Uppsala University collected data from one of the largest population databases to determine if eating healthy was enough on its own. According to their findings, lack of sleep trumped a healthy diet and increased risk of diabetes regardless of diet.
“Our results are the first to question whether a healthy diet can compensate for lack of sleep in terms of the risk of type 2 diabetes. They should not cause concern, but instead be seen as a reminder that sleep plays an important role in health,” explains Christian Benedict, Associate Professor and sleep researcher at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences at Uppsala University and leading researcher behind the study. The study highlights the importance of prioritizing sleep as well as eating healthily.
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