Role of Sleep Duration and Quality in the Risk and Severity of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Evidence from laboratory and epidemiologic studies suggests that decreased sleep duration or quality may increase diabetes risk. We examined whether short or poor sleep is associated with glycemic control in African Americans with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of volunteers with type 2 diabetes interviewed at the University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, Ill. The final analysis included 161 participants. Glycemic control was assessed by hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level obtained from medical charts. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Perceived sleep debt was calculated as the difference between preferred and actual weekday sleep duration.