Introduction

Doctors often stress the importance of a night of uninterrupted sleep. We have all experienced the effects of quality sleep. We wake up the next morning feeling refreshed, focused and ready for the day’s work. We have also heard how sound sleep is crucial for our brain health, as well as immunity. 

But now, new studies have discovered yet another benefit of sleep. It can help to manage diabetes more effectively! 

What is the link between sound sleep and diabetes control? Let’s find out! 

Sleep and diabetes: the association

It has been found that irregularities in your sleep routine increase the chances of developing diabetes or affect your body’s ability to use glucose, which will lead to an increase in blood sugar levels. Similarly, if a person has diabetes, insufficient sleep can upset diabetes management steps such as your portion control medication (your body may not respond as well to the medicines) and it will also have a negative impact on your psychological health, which will make diabetes management more challenging. 

There is ongoing scientific investigation into why poor quality sleep leads to a likelihood of diabetes and why diabetes management becomes difficult if one doesn’t get enough sleep. It is believed that not enough good sleep increases cortisol levels and oxidative stress and decreases insulin. Together, these factors make high blood sugar levels quite likely. 

Why insufficient sleep may make diabetes management harder:

When you are not getting enough sleep, a few problems will crop up, which may make diabetes likely and its management very challenging. 

• You will be likely to wake up feeling hungry. You may also feel the urge to indulge in ‘midnight snacks’. 
• Very little sleep is known to make one feel unhappy and stressed. Many people like to eat unhealthy foods to counter these negative feelings. Thus, you may lose track of how much and what you are eating. 
• Insulin resistance may be triggered, which means your cells will not respond to insulin, which tells them to absorb the glucose present in the blood. 
• You may also not feel inclined to exercise because not sleeping well inevitably makes one feel exhausted. Thus, losing weight becomes harder. You also become prone to gaining weight because of unhealthy dietary choices and lack of exercise. 
• Your immunity may also be affected. People with diabetes have a weakened immune system and this would be further aggravated by insufficient sleep. 

So, how much sleep does one need? 

The duration of sleep that one needs to stay healthy depends on a person’s age. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society advises adults to get between 7-9 hours of sleep daily. Teenagers should get 8-10 hours of sleep. Senior citizens are recommended 7-8 hours or more of daily sleep. 

A few hacks to sleep better

Our hectic lifestyles, anxiety, responsibilities and the pervasive presence of social media and streaming services make it difficult to get the right amount of sleep every day. 

Sleep problems not only increase the chances of developing diabetes but it has been found that people already diagnosed with diabetes have a hard time getting enough sleep and this makes the situation worse. 

However, a few tips can help you optimise your sleep. 

• Opt for neutral colours for your bedroom, such as beige, white, cream etc. 
• Keep your bedroom lighting to a minimum. Excess light is not conducive to the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. 
• Eat your dinner 2-4 hours before it’s time to go to bed. A light meal that is easy to digest is recommended. 
• Go to bed only when you are feeling exhausted and sleepy. 
• Try not to keep a TV in the bedroom. 
• Curbing the use of phones for any purpose (work or entertainment) is a must for at least an hour before going to bed. 
• Avoid tea, coffee or alcohol before bedtime. 
• Exercising regularly is proven to improve sleep duration and quality. 
• Avoid afternoon naps or power sleep if that makes it difficult to fall asleep at night.

If you are diabetic

• Make sure you take your medicines as prescribed. 
• Monitoring blood sugar levels is crucial for sleep because both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia affect sleep. 
• Check if diabetes complications like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome are preventing you from sleeping well at night. 

Conclusion:

Diabetes is a condition that must be managed rigorously. As per reports, 10.1 crore people in India live with diabetes and the number is increasing. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to severe health complications that may even become fatal. But with proper management strategies, one can live a healthy life. A healthy sleep routine can help a person with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels better. It can also help a person with normal blood sugar levels lower the likelihood of developing diabetes at a later stage.

Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.

Ref-

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4674464/

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1944600#:~:text=As%20per%20Indian%20Council%20of,of%20diabetes%20is%2010.1%20crores