Sleep and Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic health condition in which a person’s body does not properly process food to pull out energy. Bodies break down food into sugar, or glucose, and release it into the bloodstream so it can travel around the body and provide energy to our muscles, cells and organs. They use this sugar as energy to do what they need to do. When blood sugar rises, typically it signals a person's pancreas to release insulin. This hormone is responsible for regulating the amount of sugar in the blood. Too much blood sugar can damage organs, blood vessels and nerves but without it, the body doesn’t have enough energy to do what they need to do.
There are two main types of diabetes - Type 1 which means that a person cannot produce their own insulin and Type 2 which means that a person either can’t use the insulin produced within the body or they don’t produce enough. This means that the body cannot automatically regulate blood sugars. Depending on the type of diabetes a person has, they may need to take insulin or may be prescribed other medication. Some types of diabetes can be controlled with diet and exercise while others can’t. Either way, it is a disease that can impact a person's life in many many ways.
Regulated blood sugar levels are important to living a healthy life and that while manageable with medication, diabetes is a serious condition. When it comes to sleep, those with diabetes may find themselves struggling more than their friends or family members. This is not a coincidence. In fact, there is a unique connection between diabetes, blood sugar levels and sleep.
Blood Sugar Levels and Sleep
The goal of insulin for those with diabetes is to regulate blood sugar levels. High blood sugar - or hyperglycemia - can lead to headaches, increased thirst, tiredness or even mood swings. Low blood sugar - or hypoglycemia - can cause night sweats, nightmares, and insomnia.
What makes sleep especially difficult for those with diabetes is that blood sugar levels fluctuate during sleep naturally. This can make it especially hard to balance and maintain healthy blood sugar levels while sleeping when your body isn’t doing it naturally.
Diabetes and Sleep
There are many reasons that those with diabetes could not be getting quality sleep. Some may have to check their blood sugar in the middle of the night, requiring a midnight alarm. Urination in the middle of the night from high blood sugar is common, as is treating low blood sugar and then struggling to get back to sleep. Many insulin pumps have internal alarms to notify a person of high or low blood sugars which could go off at any time.
Since sleep is so important in regulating blood sugars naturally and is vital to helping a person feel rested, healthy and attentive for the next day, disruption in sleep for those with diabetes is a terrible circular cycle.
There is no magic way to help everyone with diabetes have great sleep every night. However, there are some tips and tricks that may help you improve the quality of your sleep on a more regular basis.
Sleep Tips for Those with Diabetes
Ensure that there are no other sleep disorders that could be contributing to a bad night's sleep.
Sleep apnea is common for those who have Type 2 diabetes and could be making sleep even more difficult.
Settle into a sleep time routine.
Sleep routines where you go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time can help regulate other sleep hormones. This is helpful because even if you do wake up in the middle of the night your body is in the proper place to - hopefully - allow you to fall back asleep without as much difficulty.
Get physical every day.
According to the Canadian Diabetes guidelines, being active on a daily basis can help your body manage it’s blood sugar levels while helping your body regulate its sensitivity to insulin. This can help you manage your diabetes and your sleep. Plus, physical activity is great for everyone to help improve sleep quality too.
Consider your stress levels and management.
Those with diabetes could be experiencing higher levels of worry and stress that comes with living with a disease. High stress can make sleep more challenging for anyone. If you find yourself worrying or struggling with living with diabetes, this could also be affecting your sleep quality. Consider asking your doctor for resources or reaching out to a loved one to talk about it. There are also independent things you can do before bed to help reduce that stressful feeling. Meditation, deep breathing, sleepy-time teas etc could also help.
Ask your doctor about night-time alarm settings for your insulin pump.
Of course, being notified about blood sugar levels is vital. However, your doctor may be able to work with you to adjust alarms so that you aren’t being woken up unnecessarily in the middle of the night.
Don’t overlook general sleep tips.
White noise, no electronics before bed, dark bedrooms, soft pillows and other general sleep-improvement tips can still make a difference. Although those with diabetes do have specific challenges when it comes to sleep, these traditional sleep tips can still make a difference.
Sleep, Diabetes and You
About 3 million Canadians live with diabetes. For those with diabetes, sleep is a challenge. While these tips and tricks could help you find a more restful sleep routine, any major concerns should absolutely be discussed with a doctor. If you’re more concerned about your sleep quality, consider asking your doctor to speak to a sleep expert or to be referred to a sleep clinic for a sleep study.