Managing diabetes effectively from home requires a multifaceted approach. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits like following a nutritious diet and exercising regularly is essential, but there’s another crucial factor that often goes overlooked: getting a good night’s rest!
Sleep and blood sugar levels are directly connected. While it’s normal for blood sugar levels to rise and fall throughout daytime and nighttime as part of our circadian rhythm, it’s important for people with diabetes to be mindful of the impact sleep deprivation can have, not only on blood sugar but also on one’s overall health.
Poor Sleep Causes Hormonal Changes
When you’re tossing and turning all night, your body’s hormonal balance is disrupted. This can lead to blood sugar spikes, weight gain, and a wide variety of other physical, mental, and emotional health issues. Here are some of the primary hormones that are directly correlated to diabetes.
1. Insulin
For someone who follows a standard sleeping schedule, blood sugar levels typically surge between 4 AM and 8 AM. This natural process is called the dawn effect.
Insulin is a hormone that removes glucose from the blood. When the dawn effect occurs, a person who doesn’t have diabetes will produce adequate insulin, which causes fat, muscle, and liver cells to absorb excess amounts of glucose from the blood. Simply put, the insulin prevents the bloodstream from building up too much glucose.
Because people with diabetes don’t produce enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels stable during the dawn effect, that surger can be problematic. Furthermore, when you’re not sleeping well, cells can develop insulin resistance, which can cause glucose to build up in the bloodstream over time.
2. Cortisol
Cortisol is known as the body’s “stress hormone” because it is released during stressful experiences. It plays a major role in numerous bodily functions, including regulating blood sugar, blood pressure, and metabolism.
Stress caused by poor sleep signals the body to release cortisol, which can exacerbate sleep issues and also prevent cells from absorbing glucose, causing it to build up in the bloodstream. Sleeping well is directly related to stress management, which is essential for diabetes management too.
3. Ghrelin
Ghrelin is known as the body’s “hunger hormone” because it stimulates your appetite and lets your brain know when it’s time for food. Poor sleep signals the body to release more ghrelin than usual, which can lead to overeating. It’s not just boredom that often leads to late-night snacking.
Poor Sleep Can Cause or Exacerbate Inflammation
Sleeping well can strengthen your immune system, but the opposite is true too. Sleep deprivation can signal your body to produce inflammation-causing immune cells. Over time, this can even lead to chronic inflammation.
Inflammation can activate proteins that suppress insulin, which may cause insulin resistance. Unfortunately, this process can be cyclic—inflammation causes insulin resistance, which causes more inflammation, and the cycle repeats.
Poor Sleep May Correlate With an Unhealthy Lifestyle
In addition to disrupting the body’s hormonal balance and causing inflammation, poor sleeping habits are often directly linked to other poor lifestyle habits.
For example, when you’re not sound asleep in bed, you might want to raid the fridge for a midnight snack. Or, if you’re tired during the daytime, you might not be motivated to exercise as much as usual.
Tips for Improving Your Sleeping Habits
First and foremost, talk to a healthcare professional. They may be able to recommend lifestyle changes, medications, or supplements. They may also recommend CGM supplies that allow you to monitor your blood glucose levels more effectively.
If there’s a specific factor causing poor sleep, take actionable steps to fix it. For example, if clenching or grinding your teeth at night is keeping you up, you could get a night guard. Or, if summer weather is disrupting your sleep, you could get a fan or air conditioner. Try to identify the root cause and then nip it in the bud.
Try to follow a consistent eating schedule throughout the day. Avoid eating too close to bedtime, but try not to go to bed too hungry, either. If you find yourself unable to sleep, try not to eat out of boredom.
Finally, even if you’re tired from tossing and turning all night, try to set aside time to exercise throughout the day. Regular physical activity can work wonders in helping you get quality rest when it’s time to turn in. Even a quick stretch or stroll around the block can make a difference.
Try Not to Get Overwhelmed
Stress often compounds on itself, creating a vicious, self-feeding cycle. Worrying about not getting enough sleep can actually manifest poor sleeping habits. If you’re struggling with sleep, the first step is simply recognizing the problem. From there, you and your healthcare team can work on finding a solution. You’re worth the effort!