Self-Management in Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) affects 1.6 million Americans, and only 14% of young adults age 18-25 years achieve glycemic targets (glycosylated hemoglobin A1C <7.0%). Achieving glycemic targets is associated with reduced risk for both micro-and macrovascular complications, better neurocognitive function, and better diabetes quality of life. In lab studies, sleep deprivation led to impaired glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in adults without chronic condition and in one study of adults with T1D. Extending sleep in natural environments contributes to improved insulin sensitivity and glucose levels, neurocognition, and psychological symptoms in young adults without chronic conditions. Modifiable dimensions of sleep health (appropriate sleep duration, stability, and timing) are associated with better glycemic control in adults with T1D. Therefore, improving sleep duration, stability, and timing may be potential therapeutic targets to improve glucoregulation and clinical outcomes (diabetes self-management, neurocognitive function, and symptoms) in this high-risk population. The overall objective is to test and compare the effects of a cognitive-behavioral sleep self-management intervention (sleep extension and consistency in sleep timing) compared to an attention control condition (habitual sleep duration + diabetes self-management education) on improving sleep duration, stability, and timing, and glycemia (glycemic control and glucose variability) in short-sleeping young adults with T1D in a pilot randomized controlled trial.