Overview
- Researchers analyzed NHANES data from 2009–2023 covering 23,475 U.S. adults, with weekend sleep information for 10,817, in a paper published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.
- Weekday sleep duration showed an inverted U-shaped relationship with estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), with the optimal point at about 7 hours and 18 minutes.
- Moderate weekend catch-up sleep (1–2 hours) was associated with better eGDR for people short on weekday sleep, while more than 2 hours was linked to worse scores for those already meeting or exceeding the optimal duration.
- Longer-than-optimal sleep was particularly associated with lower eGDR among women and adults aged 40 to 59 in subgroup analyses.
- eGDR, derived from waist circumference, blood glucose or HbA1c, and blood pressure, serves as a proxy for insulin resistance, and experts highlight sleep regularity as a practical target for metabolic health.