Diabetes and sleeping problems go hand in hand. Truly a good night’s rest could be crucial to a diabetic. Diabetes sleeping is often hindered by anxiety, depression, as well as fluctuations in blood sugar levels during sleep. This is unfortunate because diabetics really need a good amount of sleep to stay healthy. One study noted on WebMd.com serves as a good example. The study, which was performed at the University of Chicago, found that after only one week of short bedtimes, glucose impairment begins. Who’s to know how much worse it could get if the lack of rest lasted more than a week.

There are many other ways that diabetes and sleeping problems may be contribute to each other. For example, it is known that chronic sleep deprivation elevates cortisol, a stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels may actually contribute to insulin resistance and lead to diabetes.

In diabetes, sleep apnea contributes to diabetes and sleeping problems as well. When a person is trying to sleep, but can’t breathe, it causes a fight-or-flight reaction within the body. This causes the release of stress hormones which raise your blood glucose levels. It also makes you too tired to stay active the next day. It has been found, on the other hand, that good amounts of sleep reduces insulin resistance while raising alertness, motivation, and activity levels in diabetics. Some actions that may help your diabetes and sleeping issues are listed below:

  • Exercise early, not before bed
  • Maintain a sleeping routine
  • Use relaxation techniques before bed like taking a hot bath, reading a book, or meditating
  • Avoid heavy meals before bedtime
  • Avoid alcohol or caffeine before bedtime
  • Write in a journal before bed to get your worries out, or try to push them away until the next day

 

Diabetes: Sweating While Sleeping

 

While sleeping, diabetes may cause sweating. This is a sign of hypoglycemia. In fact, sweating during sleep is sometimes the first sign of diabetes in children and adults. You may not even know that you are having hypoglycemic attacks while asleep. People who suffer from hypoglycemia during the night usually wake to find their sheets damp from perspiration, remember crying out or having nightmares, and wake up feeling tired, irritable, and confused. Lower your carbohydrates and raising the level of fiber in your diet is said to help deter hypoglycemic attacks, as well as other diabetes and sleeping problems.