Study links insomnia and sleep apnea combination to higher type 2 diabetes risk

ANBAR, Iraq — Researchers in Australia have found that experiencing insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea together significantly raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to findings presented at the SLEEP 2026 conference. Insomnia alone was associated with a 41% increase in diabetes risk, while sleep apnea alone raised the risk by more than fourfold in women and fivefold in men. The study examined the combined condition, known as COMISA, and reported a 6.5-fold higher diabetes risk in men and a 4.7-fold higher risk in women when both disorders were present. The researchers described COMISA as an independent risk factor whose mechanisms are not yet fully understood, and recommended that adults with sleep problems consult a sleep specialist. The same team had previously reported that people with the combined condition face a nearly 50% higher risk of heart problems and premature death. The new findings build on that earlier work by quantifying the diabetes risk separately for each condition and for their co-occurrence.