Blood sugar problems in diabetic children linked to poor sleeping patterns

Wed, 04 Jan 2012
A study by scientists in the United States has claimed that kids suffering from type 1 diabetes that are at a higher risk from problems with their sleep find that controlling their blood sugar levels is even harder to achieve than those who manage to sleep regularly.

Kids with type 1 diabetes that experienced more nightly apnea events were found to face substantially higher glucose levels and hyperglycaemia than those that had no problems with their sleep patterns. In addition, those who said they were sleepier during the day had more problems at school and a lower quality of life.

The research involved 50 patients with type 1 diabetes between the ages of 10 and 16, revealing that those with an apnea–hypopnea index score of 1.5 events per hour or more had higher blood glucose levels on continuous glucose monitoring and had more hyperglycaemia at night compared to those without the condition.

Michelle Perfect, who led the study, which was published in Sleep, commented "Despite adhering to recommendations for good diabetic health, many youth with type 1 diabetes have difficulty maintaining control of their blood sugars."

She added "We found that it could be due to abnormalities in sleep, such as daytime sleepiness, lighter sleep, and sleep apnea. All of these make it more difficult to have good blood sugar control."

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