The relationship between diabetes and sleep is an endless cycle. Diabetes affects sleeps, which then in turn affects diabetes and vice versa. What can we do to stop this cycle of one affecting the other?
The relationships between Diabetes and Sleep
We will start off with sleep first. Getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night can lead to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol will lead to higher levels of blood sugar that leads to pre-diabetes or diabetes.
With most diabetics, blood sugar levels can be high or low. Higher blood sugar levels lead to kidneys working more to help out. This can disrupt sleep, with the multiple bathroom trips during the night. Lower blood sugar levels will lead to headaches, night sweats, and restless leg syndrome that will affect sleep.
Tips to Maintain Diabetes and Sleep
The relationship between diabetes and sleep is not just a negative relationship, positively affecting one will positively affect the other. Below are positive tips for each.
Diabetes:
- Planning meals to not overeat or starve. This will help keep the blood sugar levels in a normal range
- Exercise will help lower blood sugar levels for a 24 hour period.
Sleep:
- Exercising will raise the body temperature during exercise and will lead to the body temperature lowering later in the day causing you to feel tired and sleepy.
- Avoid drinking caffeine or using stimulants a couple of hours before trying to go to sleep.
- Avoid screens a couple of hours before bed. Exposure to light can stimulate the body to wake back up and stay up for more hours.
Getting out of this endless cycle may seem like a difficult process, but its not. Start by affecting diabetes or sleep positively and take it one step at a time.
