London (PTI): Suffering from insomnia? It is time that you consult a doctor, for a new study has found that men who have sleepless nights are at a high risk of developing diabetes.

Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have based their findings on an analysis of over 5,000 middle-aged men and women for a period of ten years, British newspaper the 'Daily Mail' reported.

In fact, according to the researchers, the risk of contracting Type 2 diabetes is actually double in men. The link with the most common form of diabetes, held firm even after taking factors such as weight, smoking and exercise into consideration.

In the study, the participants, none of whom had diabetes at the start, filled in questionnaires about levels of stress. They were told symptoms included insomnia, apathy, anxiety and fatigue.

Analysis showed that the most stressed-out men were more than twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.

It is thought stress may raise the risk of diabetes by disrupting the production of hormones. People worn out by lack of sleep may also be less likely to exercise.

However, according to the researchers, the link applied only to men possibly because they bottle up their feelings more than women.

The results of the study have been published in the 'Diabetic Medicine' journal.