How can night-shifters control blood sugar? Night owls have a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, says study

If you are at a desk job, move around or take a small walk every two hours during the shift. Don’t go near the vending machine and slot an exercise schedule in your functional cycle, says Dr Anoop Misra, Chairman, Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences

Written by: Anonna Dutt

4 min read Updated: Sep 14, 2023 04:55 PM IST

Night owls may need to pay more attention to their lifestyle because their chronotype may increase the risk for Type-2 diabetes (Source: Getty Images)

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Are you a night owl? Then you are likely to have a higher risk of developing Type-2 diabetes. A recently published study from the US shows that people with “evening chronotype” or those who prefer to be active in the evening, sleep and wake up late are 19 per cent more likely to develop diabetes, even after the researchers accounted for lifestyle factors. This means that unhealthy habits may explain away a large proportion of the risk but not all of it.

“Night owls may need to pay more attention to their lifestyle because their chronotype may increase the risk for Type-2 diabetes,” say the study’s corresponding author and associate epidemiologist from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Tianyi Huang. Chronotype refers to a person’s preferred timing of sleeping and waking up, which is partly determined by genetics, and cannot be changed easily. The study, based on data from over 63,000 women nurses, found that those who prefer to stay up and work at night are more likely to consume alcohol in higher quantities, have low-quality diet, smoke and have less physical activity.

Why does the evening chronotype increase the risk of diabetes?

First, the evening chronotype is likely to develop more unhealthy lifestyle habits. “Those who go to bed late at night are much more likely to snack after dinner. When they wake up, they are unlikely to have time for exercise before heading out for work or through afternoons and evenings when they are at work,” says Dr Anoop Misra, Chairman, Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences. Those with evening chronotype are also much more likely to have an irregular sleep pattern that leads to increased glucose intolerance.

The chronotype can also impact hormones. As Dr Misra explains, “The secretion of melatonin depends on the light. Exposure to a lot of light during the night is likely to reduce melatonin secretion, which is known to regulate insulin secretion. The sleep-wake cycle also affects the cortisol levels in the body, which in turn leads to insulin resistance and obesity.”

How can I protect myself?

Dr Misra says even those with evening chronotype can reduce their risk of diabetes by following a good routine and remaining disciplined. “If a person makes time for a workout in the evening, if they do not snack at night and follow a proper routine within their functional cycle, they can have a reduced risk of diabetes.” Those with evening chronotype may also try to retrain themselves by waking up and going to bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier each day, experts say.

The US researchers found the increased risk associated with evening chronotype in nurses who worked day shifts, not those who worked overnight shifts. “When chronotype was not matched with work hours, we saw an increase in Type 2 diabetes risk. That was another very interesting finding, suggesting that more personalised work scheduling could be beneficial,” say researchers.

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What can I do if I work on a night shift?

If you cannot avoid a night shift, Dr Misra suggests some practical ways you can remain healthy. If you are at a desk job, you should move around or take a small walk every two hours during the shift. He advises that people consume healthy snacks at night and avoid going to vending machines. People must avoid colas that may be more readily available at night than healthier beverages. Most importantly, those working night shifts should also make time for regular exercise in their routine.

“The good thing about the current study is that it has a big sample size. However, the study is based on a single questionnaire. Multiple questionnaires over a period of time would have given more details on whether the participants stuck to a particular lifestyle,” says Dr Misra.

Anonna Dutt

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More

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