Many people with diabetes have a complicated relationship with sleep. Falling into a vicious cycle is easy. Diabetes disrupts sleep, but getting less sleep means you gain weight and develop higher blood sugar levels.
You can actually improve your diabetes by optimizing your sleeping patterns. Here are four tips to help you do that.
1. Avoid Diuretics Before Bed
One of the ways that diabetes disrupts sleep is that it makes you need to urinate more frequently. Your kidneys work overtime to filter the excess sugar in your blood. Hence, many people with diabetes can’t sleep until morning without having to use the bathroom several times.
Experts recommend not drinking any coffee in the afternoon. Additionally, avoid drinking alcohol 2-3 hours before you go to bed.
2. Keep a Very Regular Schedule
Decide when you will go to bed and wake up, and then stick to that even on the weekends. A regular sleep pattern is great for your metabolism.
3. Find Out If You Have Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disruption in breathing during the night. It can strain your heart and also make your blood sugar levels even worse. This problem affects one in five people with diabetes.
If you frequently wake up for no reason, or if you are exhausted in the morning no matter how much you slept, you might have sleep apnea. You can get very effective treatments for it, which will improve your overall health.
4. Get Treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome
If you have diabetes, you might feel the need to keep moving your legs during the night. There is a medical reason for that – so you can also get help for it.
Additionally, many diabetics have to deal with pain and numbness in their feet. You should definitely consult a doctor if you’re experiencing that.
5. Make Sure Your Bedroom Is Adequate
Avoid distractions such as electronics, and also make sure your bedroom is colder than the rest of the house.
Conclusion
It is possible to improve your diabetes by optimizing your sleeping patterns. Regular sleep will help control your body weight, which is an excellent way to manage your diabetes. Try to find the best sleeping conditions for you, and seek medical advice if something is keeping you up.
