For now, it’s not clear whether changing sleep patterns — sleeping more or less — could prevent diabetes, she said. However, she added, several studies in children and adults are seeking to answer this question.
What about men? Some research has suggested that extremes in sleep affect men and women differently, Cespedes said. But research similar to this study included men and found similar results, she said.
Jane Ferrie, a senior research fellow at the University of Bristol in England, who’s worked on similar research, praised the study and said it’s “the best evidence we have to date” on this topic. She speculated that short sleep may disrupt the way the body processes blood sugar. It’s also possible that people who sleep longer may have undiagnosed sleep apnea. (The study only included sleep apnea diagnosed by a doctor.)
For now, Ferrie said, “women whose sleep duration changes by two or more hours per night should mention this to their doctor.”
The study appeared Nov. 2 in the journal Diabetologia.
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