Preventing diabetes-related sleep disorders -
This can prevent you from being tempted to scroll before bed or pick it up in the middle of the night. Regular exercise has many benefits for people with diabetes. Exercise reduces insulin resistance, meaning your body becomes more sensitive to insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps to move sugar from your blood to your cells.
According to the CDC , regular exercise not only improves blood sugar but is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, healthier weight and better sleep. Start small, do something you enjoy, and build up gradually; just 10 minutes a day is better than nothing.
Before starting any new regimen, be sure to get clearance from your health care provider. Caffeine is a stimulant and its effects are highly variable. Your biggest boost of caffeine typically occurs 30 minutes after consumption; however, the effects of it can last anywhere from two to ten hours, per a article in Risk Management and Healthcare Policy.
Factors such as the amount of caffeine consumed, caffeine metabolism, tolerance and half-life how long it takes to metabolize caffeine all play a role in how someone will respond. Drinking it later in the afternoon or evening can increase your alertness , make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, and reduce your quality of sleep.
For these reasons, it is often recommended to avoid caffeine consumption six to eight hours before bed. If you have diabetes and are drinking caffeine in the late afternoon or evening due to daytime fatigue, that late coffee can disrupt your evening sleep further, exacerbating the cycle.
If possible, try to cut back or reduce it altogether and see if your sleep and alertness improve. Research suggests that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is associated with insufficient sleep.
Lack of sleep can make you feel tired during the day. Fatigue may influence you to eat more and move less, two factors that can impact blood sugars. Inadequate sleep can raise cortisol levels, increase inflammation and reduce insulin sensitivity, all factors that cause blood sugars to rise.
In addition, less than seven hours of sleep per night is associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance. Getting adequate and better-quality sleep may help with insulin sensitivity and appetite regulation, which can have an impact on blood sugar.
If you currently don't sleep enough, sleeping more may also assist in weight loss, which on its own can improve blood sugar. Lastly, getting a good night's rest improves your energy for the day which can impact your decision-making and diabetes care.
You are more likely to take better care of your diabetes when you feel energized. The recommended amount of sleep for adults per night is seven to nine hours. Studies have shown that sleeping more than nine hours per night increases the risk of diabetes.
If you have diabetes and are sleeping too much and still feel tired or are having trouble managing your blood sugar, it is important to speak to your health care provider to rule out any other underlying conditions.
Sleep is one of the many things you do daily to keep yourself healthy. Sleep is important for overall health and longevity, it plays a role in regulating hormones, appetite and mood.
Lack of sleep may be a risk factor for developing diabetes and can contribute to increased blood sugar in people who already have diabetes. Blood sugar management is also important for healthy sleep. The two seem to go hand in hand. Therefore, if you are having trouble managing your diabetes and sleeping, starting to implement some simple strategies may help.
Work toward establishing a good sleep routine and moving more daily. If you are worried that you have a sleep problem or a sleep disorder, reach out to your health care provider for help.
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In a study , researchers examined the associations between sleep disturbance and diabetes. Sleep disturbance includes difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or sleeping too much. The study found a clear relationship between sleep disturbance and diabetes.
The researchers said that sleep deprivation is a significant risk factor for diabetes, which can sometimes be controlled. Tossing and turning all night is common in people with diabetes.
Although this may be the result of common diabetes symptoms, a separate medical condition may be at the root. A few sleep disorders and other disorders that affect sleep are more common in people with diabetes.
Sleep apnea is the most common sleep disorder in people with diabetes. Sleep apnea occurs when your breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. In a study , researchers found that 86 percent of participants had sleep apnea in addition to diabetes. Of this group, 55 percent had it severe enough to need treatment.
Sleep apnea is more commonly found in people with type 2 diabetes. This is because people in this group often carry excess weight, which can constrict their air passages. Common symptoms include feeling tired during the day and snoring at night. Maintaining a moderate weight for your body type may help relieve your symptoms.
You can also wear a special mask during sleep to increase air pressure to your throat and allow you to breathe easier. Restless leg syndrome RLS is characterized by a constant urge to move your legs.
RLS may occur due to an iron deficiency. If you think you have RLS, make an appointment with your doctor to review your symptoms. This is especially important if you have a history of anemia. Tobacco can also trigger RLS. Insomnia is characterized by recurrent trouble falling and staying asleep.
Experts associate a lack of sleep with an altered hormone balance that can affect food intake and weight. If you have diabetes, you face a challenging circle. This can cause your blood sugar levels to rise and make it harder to achieve a decent amount of sleep. Then, you may find yourself in this same sleepless situation.
A lack of sleep also increases your risk of obesity. Being obese can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Avoid using your cell phone or e-reader at night, because the glow can wake you up.
Switch to old-fashioned books to read before you sleep to quiet your mind and lessen the strain on your eyes. Although it might seem like a pleasant way to wake up, hearing the sound of birds chirping in the early morning can disrupt your sleeping patterns.
The sounds of garbage collectors, street sweepers, and people leaving for early-morning jobs can also disrupt your sleep. Go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time each morning, including weekends.
Your body will naturally start to get tired and automatically wake itself up. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages, exercising, and even doing simple work around the house at night. The only type of evening workout you should consider is a slow-paced yoga session that can prepare your body for sleep.
If possible, consider investing in a new mattress. Cooler temperatures tend to be the best for good sleep, so consider opening a window or using a fan while you sleep. See your doctor if you have persistent sleep problems.
In the short term, consider one or more lifestyle changes to improve the quality of your sleep. Even if you only make one small change, it has the potential to make a big difference.
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Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs because the body is unable to use blood sugar glucose properly. Learn more about diabetes causes.
Holistic approaches to weight loss loss can lead to higher dibetes-related of serious health diabetes-delated, including type 2 Preventing diabetes-related sleep disorders. Perventing example, sleep affects food choices and Hydration tips for yoga practitioners your body reacts to insulin. People with diabetes are also more likely to have sleep disorders. We discuss links between diabetes and sleep as well as tips to help people with diabetes sleep more easily. Diabetes and sleep share a two-way relationship. Sleepless nights may interfere with normal metabolism. Research suggests that not getting enough sleep affects metabolism and plays a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.
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