2026-03-04 15:05:08
Scientists say they’ve pinpointed the exact amount of sleep you should be getting each night.
According to a study published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care, the ideal sleep time to reduce the risk of insulin resistance is seven hours and 18 minutes per night.
Getting more or less than that could increase the chances of developing pre-diabetes – a major risk factor for Type 2 Diabetes.
In Britain alone, Diabetes UK estimates 4.6 million people have diabetes, with about 90 per cent diagnosed with type 2, which occurs when the body cannot properly use insulin to regulate blood sugar.
Researchers analysed data from 10,817 adults aged 20 to 80 using health records from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2009 and 2023.
They assessed participants’ insulin resistance using something called the estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), calculated from waist circumference, blood pressure and fasting blood glucose levels.
The results suggested seven hours and 18 minutes was the metabolic sweet spot.
Experts say poor sleep can disrupt appetite and hormones, making matters worse.
Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, said: “Poor sleep often leads to poorer appetite control so people tend to eat more, and less sleep means more time awake to be able to eat.”
He explained that sleep deprivation also affects stress hormones which influence sugar levels.
Alex Miras, professor of endocrinology at Ulster University, added: “Sleep deprivation has been known for years to be associated with higher levels of body stress, meaning that the body produces excess cortisol and other molecules that have a negative effect on glucose regulation.
“More specifically, it can increase the resistance of muscles to insulin, which can increase blood glucose.”
Interestingly, the study also found moderate weekend lie-ins can help.
For people who sleep too little during the week, one to two hours of catch-up sleep at the weekend improved insulin sensitivity.
But sleeping more than two extra hours could actually push diabetes risk back up.
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