Recent years have seen an expansion in the number of conditions that are recognized as having a link with diabetes. In people with sleep apnoea breathing stops briefly but repeatedly during sleep. It is commonly associated with obesity, and therefore frequently occurs in people with type 2 diabetes. However, recent research demonstrates the likelihood of a relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea and diabetes that is independent of obesity. The links between the conditions are particularly important as both increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. While the enormity of the type 2 diabetes epidemic is well recognized, disorders of breathing during sleep are not, in spite of the significant contribution they make to the burden of disease in people and  the financial burden on communities.