A new study published in the Pediatric Journal suggests that teens with type 1 diabetes who have poor sleeping habits could be at risk of increased HbA1c levels.

The German study was developed so that researchers could look at how broken sleep impacts glycemic control in teenagers with type 1 diabetes, with 190 subjects with an average age of 16.5 years.

Those who took part were asked to self-report on the amount of sleep they were getting and the quality. The researchers then examined associations between sleep and glycemic control, with HbA1c levels determined at the beginning of the study.

"Our study suggests that poor sleep quality is associated with increased HbA1c in adolescents with type 1 diabetes and that higher levels of circadian misalignment are associated with increased insulin requirements." the researchers noted.

This association was found to be slightly strong in boys and also children who had previously moved countries. However, sleep duration was not associated with HbA1c.

"If replicated, our results indicate a clinical relevance of sleep habits in adolescents with type 1 diabetes," the researchers added.

Previous research has highlighted the importance of maintaining good HbA1c levels in people with type 1 diabetes. It is thought that improving it by just one per cent can cut the risk of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy and kidney disease by a quarter.

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