September 29, 2022
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Guille Faingold/Stocksy United
When you live with type 2 diabetes, low sleep quality may seem routine — but it doesn’t have to be. Try these tips to feel better rested throughout the day.
If you have type 2 diabetes, you’re probably already aware that people with the condition tend to have higher rates of sleep disorders like insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea.
Diabetes and sleep go hand-in-hand. Good sleep can prevent diabetes, and also help to manage it
According to research in 2012, both poor quality of sleep and short length of sleep — less than 6 hours a night — were associated with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
How long you sleep is important in managing type 2 diabetes and your overall health. Most adults should get an average of 7 or more hours of sleep each night.
Getting less sleep than what’s recommended may lead to higher hemoglobin A1C levels and poorer glycemic control.
Quality of sleep is also important. Yet people with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of having low sleep quality.
Besides feeling sleepy during the day, poor quality sleep can have dramatic effects on your life. In fact, people with type 2 who reported poor sleep quality felt it worsened their “already worsened” quality of life due to their chronic illness.
Sleep disturbances can also lead to glycemic dysregulation. This means that you can do everything right during the day for your type 2 diabetes, but if you don’t sleep well at night, your glucose levels may still not be well managed.
The timing of sleep is just as important as length and quality. The human body naturally follows a circadian rhythm — a 24-hour cycle that signals humans to sleep at night and nocturnal animals to sleep during the day. Any disruption of your circadian system can increase your chances of adverse metabolic outcomes, which means poor blood sugar control.
Getting good sleep can dramatically improve your overall health and help you better manage your blood glucose levels.
Now, how does one get good sleep?
Behavioral approaches are usually the first step in getting better sleep. Sleep hygiene is a common term used to describe the behaviors you can take to ensure quality sleep.
Here are some expert tips to fine-tune your sleep hygiene practices:
Sleep is important for everyone, but for anyone living with type 2 diabetes, it’s even more important to practice good sleep hygiene in order to effectively manage blood sugar levels.
Creating a bedtime routine and improving your sleep environment are just a few ways to reduce sleep disturbances and feel better rested throughout the day. If you’re still having sleep issues? Reach out to a doctor for additional support.
Medically reviewed on September 29, 2022
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