Napping for more than 30 minutes daily significantly increases the likelihood of developing chronic liver conditions in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Elevated MASLD Risk: Research shows that napping for more than 30 minutes daily independently increases the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Sleep Quality Impact: Patients who experience both poor nocturnal sleep and long daytime naps face more than triple the risk of developing chronic liver disease.
- Clinical Screening Tool: Sleep habits may serve as a practical predictor for liver disease, allowing healthcare providers to identify at-risk patients through simple behavioral questions.
People with type 2 diabetes who nap longer than 30 minutes every day increase their risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), regardless of their sleep patterns at night, according to a study [PDF] presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting.
MASLD, formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), occurs when excessive fat builds up in the liver. This chronic disorder can be caused by several conditions, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. The research team sought to determine whether sleep behavior could serve as a more effective predictor of MASLD than standard medical tests, potentially allowing physicians to use simple sleep-related questions to identify high-risk individuals.
“Our work suggests long naps independently increase the likelihood of MASLD in individuals with type 2 diabetes,” said Xuejiang Gu, MD, PhD, executive director of the endocrinology department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, in a news release. “However, poor nocturnal sleep combined with long naps more than triples MASLD risk in this population.”
For the study, Gu and colleagues collected sleep data via questionnaires from 1,900 adults with type 2 diabetes between 2017 and 2024. Participants, aged 18 to 85, were divided into four categories based on their sleep modes: good nocturnal sleep with short naps, good nocturnal sleep with long naps, poor nocturnal sleep with short naps, and poor nocturnal sleep with long naps. The team utilized multivariate Cox regression analysis to examine the associations between these sleep characteristics and the development of MASLD.
During an average follow-up period of just over three years, 379 new cases of MASLD were identified. Compared with the group characterized by good nocturnal sleep and short naps, participants in the other three categories were associated with a significantly higher risk of developing the liver condition.
Gu noted that sleep habits are daily, modifiable behaviors that provide individuals with type 2 diabetes a practical method for disease prevention.
“Our public health message to them is to nap wisely,” said Gu.
