Does improper sleep impact your blood sugar levels? Many studies reveal that a lack of sleep can impact blood sugar levels and increase the risk of diabetes and obesity. However, there are several ways to improve your sleep, and help regulate blood sugar levels. Learn how blood sugar levels are affected by your sleep and how to cope with them in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

What happens to your blood glucose levels when you sleep?

Usually, your blood glucose levels decrease as you sleep. During sleep, as the blood glucose levels surge, it releases the insulin hormone, which removes glucose from the blood and delivers it to muscle, fat, and liver cells to be absorbed to keep the levels stable. However, if you have diabetes or get less sleep, your body doesn’t release enough insulin, which increases blood glucose levels, which creates other complications. That’s why it is important to get good sleep. A long period of lack of sleep can create an imbalance in blood glucose levels, which increases the risk of diabetes or prediabetes.

Impact of sleep loss on glucose levels

While it is difficult to confirm how sleep loss impacts glucose levels, many studies reveal that people who sleep less than 6 hours per night may develop irregular eating habits, eat more, and are more likely to eat unhealthy foods. Other research has found that these changes in sleep directly affect how your body makes other hormones, which affect blood sugar. For example, when you stay up late, your body produces cortisol, which affects how insulin works. Additionally, it disrupts your body’s natural clock (AKA circadian rhythm) by being awake at night, which makes cells more resistant to insulin. In one study, experts found altered circadian rhythms in 16 healthy volunteers who slept 5 hours per night for as much as 5 nights only. When these volunteers ate at night, their bodies showed a spike in blood sugar because it was not prepared for that, and the body was not able to use insulin properly.

Another study published showed that a lack of sleep can impair metabolism. While it can increase insulin levels, it also makes changes in appetite-regulating hormones (leptin and ghrelin), which increase appetite. These effects increase the risk of worsening diabetes or obesity.

Common sleep disorders found in people with diabetes

People with type 2 diabetes have a high risk of developing these common sleep disorders, including:

1. Restless legs syndrome (RLS): Around 1 out of 5 people with type 2 diabetes develop restless legs syndrome, which creates tingling or other irritating symptoms in legs that make it difficult to sleep. People with diabetes are also at risk of developing a condition called peripheral neuropathy, which is caused by nerve damage. It causes symptoms similar to RLS, including numbness, tingling, and pain in the extremities. People with these symptoms should visit the doctor to get treatment to lower the risk of long-term nerve damage.
2. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): This sleep disorder occurs when a person stops breathing temporarily at frequent intervals throughout the night, which disrupts sleep. In most cases, people are not aware of what is happening, though your partner may observe your snoring and gasping. These lapses in breathing cause micro-arousals (brief awakenings) that interfere with the natural progression of sleep stages and impair sleep quality. This sleep disorder mostly occurs in people who are overweight or obese, as they often develop a thicker neck circumference that interferes with the airway. Treatment with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device allows the air to pass from your nose to restore normal breathing and reduce interruptions in sleep.

How to cope

If you carefully manage your blood sugar levels, you can improve your sleep quality and quantity, even if you have diabetes. As diabetes and sleep are closely connected, developing good sleep hygiene habits is very important. You need to make these changes in your habits, including:

• Create a diet plan that works for you and helps you manage blood sugar.
• Exercise regularly.
• Follow a regular sleep schedule.
• Avoid stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine before bed.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Make sure your bed and pillows make you feel relaxed and comfortable for sleeping.

Based on your personal situation, you can talk with your doctor to get sleep aids for diabetes or learn strategies that help you get better sleep.

Sleep is very important for managing blood sugar levels. Not getting enough sleep at night can make hormonal changes that impact your appetite and make the cells insulin resistant, which increases your blood sugar levels. These changes can increase the risk of diabetes or obesity. However, you can cope with sleep problems and manage blood sugar levels by following the above-mentioned tips.

Need help with diabetes? Visit our diabetes specialist in the Brooklyn clinic to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!! Call us on +13473845690 and get answers for all your queries. Log on to  www.doralhw.org or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212 to book an appointment with our endocrinologist to get the best treatment. We have the best endocrinologists who treat these kinds of diseases and helpful staff to aid you during your treatment.