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A study suggests that insomniacs have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at Bristol University found that people who struggled to sleep had higher blood sugar levels - an indicator of the condition.
The findings suggest that treating insomnia itself through lifestyle changes or medication could prevent tens of thousands of Brits from developing the condition.
The team calculated that treating insomnia could trigger a drop in blood sugar levels comparable to losing 14 kg (2.3 lbs).
Dozens of studies have shown that people who toss and turn at night or have a later bedtime are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
But researchers say their study is the most comprehensive to suggest that lack of sleep itself causes higher blood sugar levels - and could play a direct role in the development of type 2 diabetes.
They did not suggest a biological mechanism for their findings, which were published in Diabetes Care.
But previous studies have shown that sleep deprivation increases insulin resistance, stress hormone cortisol levels, and inflammation in the body, all of which can impact blood sugar.
And experts claim that those who are tired are more likely to eat more and turn to sugary foods. Type 2 diabetes is primarily caused by obesity.
Researchers at Bristol University who studied more than 300,000 Brits found that those who had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep were more likely to have higher blood sugar levels - an indicator of the condition
To assess whether sleep patterns played a role in blood sugar levels, researchers collected data from 336,999 adults from the UK Biobank.
They examined data about whether the participants, mostly in their 50s, suffered from insomnia.
They examined information about how much sleep they got per night, how tired they felt during the day, sleep habits and whether they were a morning or evening person.
The participants' average blood sugar levels were also measured.
Those who said they “usually” had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep (28 percent of the group) had higher blood sugar levels than those who said they “never,” “rarely,” or “sometimes” had these problems, a mathematical analysis of the data found.
But there was no evidence that the other characteristics - sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, naps and when they were most energetic - had any effect.
The team said the findings could improve understanding of how sleep disorders influence type 2 diabetes risk.
The study also suggests that lifestyle and pharmacological interventions that improve insomnia could help prevent or treat diabetes, which affects 4.7 million people in the UK and 37 million in the US.
People suffering from insomnia are advised to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, avoid eating a large meal late at night, and get regular exercise during the day.
When lifestyle changes don't work, current insomnia treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy, a talk therapy that aims to change thoughts and behaviors that keep someone from sleeping.
If this doesn't work, patients usually receive short-term treatment with sleeping pills or pills that contain the hormone melatonin, which occurs naturally in the body and helps control sleep patterns.
The team said future studies should examine how each of these treatments affects blood sugar levels in people with and without diabetes.
This could establish “potential new treatments” to prevent and treat the condition, they said.
James Liu, researcher at Bristol Medical School and author of the study, said: "We estimated that an effective insomnia treatment could result in a greater reduction in blood sugar levels than an equivalent intervention that reduces body weight by 14kg in an average-sized person.
“This means that around 27,300 British adults aged between 40 and 70 with common insomnia symptoms would be free of diabetes if their insomnia were treated.”
Dr. Faye Riley, research communications manager at Diabetes UK, which funded the study, said: “We know from previous research that there is a link between sleep and a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes.
"But it wasn't clear which came first, poor sleep or higher blood sugar, or whether other factors played a role."
The study "gives us important insights into the direction of the relationship between sleep and type 2 diabetes, suggesting that inadequate sleep "could cause higher blood sugar levels and play a direct role in the development of the disease," she said.
“Knowledge of this could open up new approaches to prevent or treat the disease,” said Dr. Riley.
However, she noted that type 2 diabetes is a "complex disease with multiple risk factors," so a balanced diet and activity are "essential components of good health," including for those living with the condition or at risk of developing it.