THE ROLE OF SLEEP QUALITY IN GLYCEMIC CONTROL AMONG DIABETIC PATIENTS IN SAUDI ARABIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an  important public health problem in Saudi Arabia, and sleep quality may adversely affect glycemic control. Therefore, it  is important to understand this relationship in total diabetes therapy.

Objective: To study the  relationship between sleep quality and glycemic control in Saudi patients with diabetes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from  May to May 2025 at the Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Convenience  sampling was used to recruit adult patients with diabetes (aged ≥18 years). Sleep quality was evaluated using the validated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), with a score of >5 defined as poor quality of sleep. Glycemic control was defined as an uncontrolled HbA1c level, with HbA1c ≥7%. The chi-square test, Pearson and Spearman correlations, independent  t-tests, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.

Results: Thirty-eight diabetic patients  with complete data were included (mean age: 50.0 ± 12.3 years; 52.6% male; 92.1% Type 2 DM). The incidence  of poor sleep quality was 65.8% (mean PSQI 7.97 ± 4.43), and 50.0% had uncontrolled glycemia (mean HbA1c 7.29 ± 0.94%). There was a statistically  significant positive correlation between PSQI and HbA1c (r = 0.425, p = 0.008). Poor sleepers had significantly higher HbA1c levels than did good sleepers (7.52% vs.  6.85%, p = 0.036). Patients with  uncontrolled glycemia had higher PSQI scores than those with controlled glycemia (10.58 vs. 5.37, p < 0.001). For each 1-point increase in the PSQI score, there was  a 43.6% increase in the odds of uncontrolled glycemia.

Conclusion: Poor sleep quality was significantly associated with poor glycemic control among  patients with diabetes in Saudi Arabia. These results underscore the need to treat sleep disorders as a potential element in overall diabetes management plans.