by MARSHALL BONE
Effective diabetes management is a long-term process that, ideally, starts with prevention. There are many crucial habits that can help with diabetes management, and getting proper sleep is at the top of that list. We all know sleep is vital for feeling refreshed and energized. But for people living with diabetes, sleep takes on an even more critical role, and it can impact nearly every aspect of your day-to-day life.
How Does Sleep Affect Diabetes?
The demand for discount diabetic supplies and discussion around easy solutions often obscures the impact of sleep on diabetes. Let’s take a closer look at how proper sleep can affect diabetes management.
- Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels by allowing glucose to enter cells for energy. Sleeping well makes your body’s cells more responsive to insulin. This means adequate sleep allows your body to utilize insulin more effectively, leading to better blood sugar control. The result? Fewer spikes and dips in your blood sugar levels throughout the day.
- Lowered Cortisol: Sleep deprivation tends to elevate cortisol, a stress hormone that can interfere with insulin function and promote insulin resistance. Getting enough sleep helps keep cortisol levels in check, promoting better insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation. This can significantly impact diabetes management, as high cortisol levels can make it difficult to control blood sugar levels.
- Lower Risk of Hypoglycemia: When you get adequate and regular sleep, your body uses the opportunity to regulate your blood sugar levels overnight. Disrupting this routine increases the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels) and makes it difficult to predict future fluctuations.
- Better Cardiovascular Health: Diabetes is closely linked to heart disease. Adequate sleep supports heart health by regulating blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and promoting a healthy cardiovascular system overall. When you prioritize sleep, you’re taking proactive steps to lower your risk of developing heart disease—a major concern for individuals with diabetes.
Sleep and Diabetes: A Two-Way Link
Sleep doesn’t just affect diabetes unilaterally. Diabetes and sleep are deeply connected, and this condition can have a notable impact on sleep, as well.
It’s important to note that while diabetes can impact your sleep, the degree of this effect will vary from person to person. Diabetes affects the overall quality of sleep in a few different ways:
- Common symptoms like frequent urination can disrupt the quality of your sleep. This generally happens when blood sugar levels are elevated at night.
- Other symptoms like stress and dizziness can make it difficult to fall asleep in the first place.
- High glucose levels can dehydrate the body, waking you up prematurely for a glass of water.
Improving Sleep For Better Diabetes Management
Here’s how you can improve the quality of your sleep to help manage your diabetes.
Establish a Consistent Schedule
Consistency is at the heart of any healthy sleep routine, especially for diabetics. A consistent sleep schedule—even on the weekends—will regulate your body’s circadian rhythm. This rhythm influences hormone production and body temperature, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day.
Control Your Environment
A dark, quiet, and cool bedroom is ideal for sleep. Invest in blackout curtains or an eye mask to block out light, earplugs, or a white noise machine to minimize noise, and make sure your room temperature is comfortably cool. Keep your phone in a separate room if you find yourself wanting to scroll before sleep.
Check Your Medications
Certain diabetes medications can interfere with your overall energy levels and disrupt your sleep cycle. If you think your medications might be harming your sleep, consult your doctor about a lower dosage or any alternatives.
Consult a Specialist
Diabetes can interfere with sleep, but that doesn’t mean all sleep-related issues are caused by diabetes. Other conditions like sleep apnea can also disrupt sleep, and they can be hard to spot without the help of an expert. If you’ve already tried the tips mentioned above and are still struggling with sleep, consult a sleep specialist immediately.
Sleep Well Today For a Better Tomorrow
Sleep’s overarching impact on nearly every part of our lives is difficult to overstate. If you’re looking for better ways to manage your diabetes and improve your sleep, you’ll need to establish a consistent routine and minimize nightly distractions. Remember, every little improvement goes a long way for great diabetes management.
Marshall Bone is a writer, copy strategist and all-around stylish guy who has been following trends in GQ for more than two decades. Voted best-dressed both his junior and senior year, Bone has continued this legacy and can be found covering various topics from men’s fashion to self care and grooming. He enjoys reading and is based in the greater Los Angeles area.
