Sleep is something that we can’t go without. When you do not get good rest during the night, you’ll end up feeling groggy, tired, and irritated the next day. There are many advantages that come with good sleep, especially over the long term. As a diabetic, sleep plays a part in the management of your condition. One question that remains is whether sleep will raise or lower your blood glucose. We take a look at the importance of sleep in this post, as well as how it affects people with diabetes.
The Important Role Of Sleep
When you sleep, your body goes through a number of processes. Each of these processes plays a critical role in rejuvenating your body, consolidating the previous day’s memories, and to ensure you are ready for the next day once you wake up the next morning.
Here are some of the roles that sleep plays in the overall well-being of your body:
- When you are asleep, both your heart rate and your blood pressure levels are reduced. Your hard work at a less intensive rate, up to the point where you enter REM sleep.
- There are several hormones that the body produces – and these hormones are produced and released throughout the entire day. When you sleep, there are certain hormones at play that also affect your health.
- Proper sleep can help to modulate the release of hormones that help with the regulation of hunger. This can help to improve your ability to stay in control over how much food you eat.
Sleep also benefits the immune and respiratory systems, and can help to ensure you do not experience memory and concentration problems.
How Sleep Affects Blood Glucose Levels
Sleep does impact blood glucose levels during the night. This is because of the circadian rhythm, a natural cycle that the body goes through every 24 hours. During the cycle, your blood sugar levels will rise and fall. The circadian rhythm also plays a role in how your blood sugar is regulated when you sleep.
While researchers are still striving to clarify the exact link between sleep and blood glucose, it has been found that in the short term, sleep causes a rise in glucose levels. This has been linked to the increase in growth hormone production while you are asleep.
There are also certain factors that impact the effects of sleep on blood sugar levels. These include the duration during which you sleep every night, as well as the specific sleep stages your body goes through. Age, eating habits, and even when you sleep also seems to affect the impact of sleep on blood glucose.
How Sleep Deprivation Causes Problems With Blood Sugar Control
One way to understand the role of sleep in diabetes management is to consider what happens if you become sleep deprived.
Sleep deprivation is a problem that affects at least 32% of the American adult population. As many as 70 million Americans are also expected to have some form of sleep disorder.
When you do not get enough sleep, cortisol levels start to increase in your body. It has also been found that sleep deprivation causes an increase in C-reactive protein, TNF-alpha, and IL-6. These are all factors that affect inflammation in your body and can lead to spikes in your blood glucose levels.
There also exists a link between oxidative stress and insufficient sleep. Oxidative stress causes damage to cells in your body, which then triggers more inflammatory effects. This particular process can also lead to an impact on your blood glucose levels.
Another finding is that poor sleep patterns and not getting enough sleep can decrease insulin sensitivity. This leads to greater insulin resistance in your body, which ultimately causes you to experience increases in blood sugar levels.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
It’s important to ensure you understand how much sleep you need. This can help you create a bedtime routine and a schedule that helps you get enough sleep. The specific duration of sleep depends on your age, but generally remains similar for adults who are over the age of 18. At this particular age, you’ll need to ensure you get between seven and nine hours of sleep every day. This will allow you to experience restorative sleep, which ensures you wake up feeling refreshed.
Teenagers generally need a bit more sleep than adults, with a recommended eight to 10 hours per night. The figures are higher for younger kids as well.
Tips For Healthy Sleep
If you’re struggling to get your full seven to nine hours of sleep every night, then it’s important to take a closer look at your bedtime ritual. There are often small changes that can make a big difference and help you get enough sleep. Sleeping for the right period of time can have short and long term benefits for your blood sugar control.
Consistency and routine are two of the most important factors to keep in mind. You need to decide on a time when you are going to bed and try to uphold this schedule as much as possible. You should also wake up at the same time every morning – and continue this particular habit over the weekend too.
Your bedroom should feel like a safe space. Make sure it’s dark and quiet, as this can help you fall asleep faster and have less frequent periods where you wake up during the night. Don’t eat a big meal just before you go to bed and ensure you get plenty of exercise during the day – these two factors can also be a big help in ensuring you sleep well.
Bottom Line
Even though sleep may cause blood glucose levels to rise, this is generally not a cause for concern. Both increases and decreases in blood sugar can be observed throughout the night, and restorative sleep can even help to improve your glucose control. Getting enough sleep encourages healthier systems in your body and reduces the risk of many complications and diseases. Follow the guidance we shared to ensure you get enough sleep every night.