Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication, affecting up to 30% of pregnancies worldwide. Women with a history of GDM face a nearly tenfold increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) later in life. While diet and exercise are well-known preventive measures, our latest research highlights the critical but often-overlooked role of sleep health in mitigating diabetes risk.
Our study, led by Dr @Yin Xin, Research Fellow at @GloW and @Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, in collaboration with @Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, @Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and @Harvard Medical School, followed nearly 3,000 women with prior GDM over a mean of 17 years. Findings revealed:
🔹 Short sleep (≤6 hours per night) was associated with a 32% higher risk of developing T2D compared with women who slept 7 to 8 hours per night.
🔹 Frequent snoring (most nights per week or every night) increased T2D risk by 61% compared with women who rarely snored.
🔹 Women experiencing both short sleep and frequent snoring had more than double the risk compared with those who had healthy sleep patterns.
🔹 Snoring was also linked to elevated glucose metabolism biomarkers, including higher HbA1c, insulin, and C-peptide levels, signaling potential metabolic dysfunction.
💡What does this mean?
By prioritizing better sleep habits, such as increasing sleep duration and addressing snoring, women at high risk of diabetes can proactively reduce their long-term risk and improve metabolic health. Given the rising prevalence of GDM and diabetes, particularly in Asia, incorporating sleep health into prevention strategies is crucial.
📖 Read the full study here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2831007?utm_campaign=articlePDF&utm_medium=articlePDFlink&utm_source=articlePDF&utm_content=jamanetworkopen.2025.0142
We are also thrilled that our study has been featured in an editorial commentary! It’s exciting to see our work spark discussions in the field. 🎉
🔗 Read the editorial here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2831014
✨ This work was made possible through the contributions of an incredible team, including:
@Wei Bao, @Sylvia H. Ley, @Jiaxi Yang, @Sherri Babaeian Cuffe, @Guoqi Yu, @Jorge E. Chavarro, @Peipei Liu, @Juan Helen Zhou, @Deirdre K. Tobias, @Frank B. Hu, and @Cuilin Zhang.
💙 A heartfelt thank you to our amazing co-authors and collaborators for their invaluable contributions and dedication to this study!