Don’t remember the last time you got a good night’s rest? Your type 2 diabetes might be to blame for your sleepless nights.
Type 2 diabetes can make you prone to sleep disorders. This might be due to the disease itself or because of complications associated with diabetes. Many factors can cause insomnia in people with diabetes. These include quick changes in blood sugar levels at night, pain, discomfort, etc.
Here is a quick look at the link between type 2 diabetes and sleep. How your metabolic condition is affecting your sleeping patterns and what you can do to get some shuteye.
How does type 2 diabetes affect sleep?
Both low and high blood sugar levels can disturb sleep. Low glucose can wake you up in the middle of the night, and leave you feeling weak, thirsty, or hungry. The body may start trembling and sweating, which are classic symptoms of low sugar levels while sleeping.
High glucose can lead to mood swings, frequent urination, extreme thirst, blurry vision, and weakness. If a person with type 2 diabetes experiences sleep disturbances, they should measure their glucose levels and try to mitigate these changes.
But, sleep can be an even bigger problem when you are experiencing a sleep disorder. Here is a list of various health issues in type 2 diabetes that can affect your sleeping pattern.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): The rates of OSA are high in type 2 diabetic patients. Symptoms include extreme daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, often waking up from sleep, etc. This sleep disorder is also associated with atrial fibrillation and hypertension.
- Restless leg syndrome (RLS): RLS is common in people with type 2 diabetes and is a major cause of sleeping problems. In a study of type 2 diabetic patients, RLS was found in 27% of participants. About 45% struggled with poor sleep quality. Unpleasant sensations, like aching, pulling, or throbbing leg twitching are classic symptoms of RLS.
- Peripheral neuropathy (PN): PN is a type of diabetic neuropathy. Patients experience different degrees of burning, tingling, or numbness in the legs, feet, arms, and hands. The symptoms may worsen at night.
- Obesity: Being obese or overweight can put a strain on the body. The higher the body fat, the bigger the odds of sleep apnea, snoring, and sleeping problems. Obesity is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart problems, hypertension, and some types of cancer.
Does type 2 diabetes make you sleep a lot?
Many type 2 diabetic patients describe feeling exhausted and lethargic during the day. This can happen from different physical activities, stress, or hard work. It can also occur after a meal, especially if you consume too much sugar. If you don’t control your glucose levels, you may experience fatigue.
Fatigue is a sign of hyperglycemia. When the blood sugar is too high, the body is incapable of processing the sugar as energy. As a result, you can feel more exhausted and in need of sleep.
Fatigue can also co-exist with:
- Poor lifestyle habits (such as lack of nutrient intake, meal skipping, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption, etc)
- Diabetes complications (such as myopathy, neuropathy, renal failure, etc)
- Medication side effects (such as metformin, beta-blockers, statins, etc)
Fatigue can also have a strong psychological component. Fatigue in people with diabetes is often associated with increased diabetes distress, depression symptoms, anxiety, and lower quality of life.
Based on a recent report of 100 patients with type 2 diabetes, depression, and fatigue were found in 53% and 68% of diabetic participants. In fact, diabetic patients were 10 times more likely to suffer from fatigue, and almost 5 times more likely to experience depression.
Why do diabetics have a hard time sleeping?
Just like any other chronic condition, diabetes requires regular maintenance. You should keep your blood sugar under control so that you can reduce the odds of sleeping problems. When the glucose is too high, the kidneys overcompensate by causing frequent urination.
The more often you urinate at night, the more likely you are to wake up feeling thirsty. The frequent bathroom trips can make it hard for you to fall back asleep. You may also sleep lighter than usual, which keeps you from getting deep and REM sleep.
How can diabetics sleep better?
Carefully managing glucose levels can help you get quality sleep with type 2 diabetes. One of the simplest ways to get enough Zs is to keep the glucose within the target range so that you are less likely to experience highs and lows during the night.
Consult with your diabetes healthcare team to find a customized treatment plan that works for you. A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can give you a detailed perspective of your blood sugar fluctuations. But, you can also try other ways to get that energy back.
Start by working on your nighttime and daytime habits. The tips below can help you mitigate various sleep problems.
- Get checked for sleep apnea. Roughly 7 in 10 patients with type 2 diabetes have sleep apnea. Breathing devices, like a CPAP machine, can be used to treat the symptoms and improve the quality of sleep.
- Create a regular sleeping schedule. If you get less than 7 hours of sleep every day, your diabetes may become difficult to manage. By going to sleep and waking up at the same time, regularly, you can give the body all the rest it needs. Stick to the schedule even on the weekends.
- Stay active. Exercise can help you control your diabetes and make it easier to fall asleep.
- Create a comfortable sleeping space. Keep the room quiet, dark, and cool so that the mind can drift off into sleep. Turn off your electronic devices to reduce exposure to blue light.
- Don’t consume stimulants before going to sleep. Nicotine and caffeine are known stimulants that can interfere with your sleeping schedule.
- Try to de-stress. Stress can affect your glucose and how you manage your diabetes. Options like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and journaling can help you de-stress.