Afternoon nap can raise diabetes risk

[Naveed Yaseen]

Taking a regular afternoon nap is raising your risk of getting diabetes, say scientists. The danger of developing the illness, which can lead to strokes, blindness and kidney failure, increases by around a quarter among those who nap at least once a week.

Experts said the raised risk could be simply down to the fact that those who took forty winks were less likely to be physically active.

Is napping during the day making you ill? Researchers say that regular siestas may contribute to the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Some 2.25 million Britons have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity.

The research, being presented at a conference in Glasgow this week organised by charity Diabetes UK, examined the napping habits of 16,480 older people in China. More than two thirds of the group (68 per cent) took a nap at least once a week.

Even when other factors were taken into account, such as the person’s weight, the study found napping was linked with an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Overall, those who napped at least once a week had a 26 per cent greater risk of developing the illness compared with those who never took a nap.

The experts, led by a team from Birmingham University, said several factors may be behind the link, including the fact that those who nap are also probably taking less exercise anyway.

In addition napping during the day may disrupt night-time sleep — those who sleep for just a few hours a night are known to have a greater chance of developing Type 2.

Waking up from a short sleep also activates hormones and mechanisms in the body that stop insulin working effectively, the researchers said. Insulin controls levels of blood sugar.

Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Diabetes UK, said: “This research could be another step towards explaining the possible link between disturbed sleep patterns and Type 2 diabetes.” He added that being overweight remained a much greater risk factor than sleep issues.

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