Type 2 Affected dreams

[Liam8668]

Hi. Does anybody suffer with really vivid and quite upsetting dreams with diabetes. I have been struggling the last couple of months with awful dreams, I went online (dr google I know I shouldn’t) and it says diabetes can sometimes affect your dreams.
Due my diabetic review in 2 weeks but wanted to ask you lovely people

 

[Lamont D]

Hi, I don't have diabetes, but before diagnosis and when I'm ill, I get full Technicolor story vivid dreams. And they can be very disturbing and disruptive to your sleep patterns. I'm not too good in the morning after one.
If I'm in control of being in normal levels, I don't get them mostly.
I have been recently because of circumstances, too high, so I had a week of vivid dreams which really didn't help.
Once I realised I needed to get help, and sorted my dietary intake, things have improved.
What I believe is happening is that in REM sleep your brain is trying to tell you to get your blood glucose levels back down into normal levels or telling you to get more glucose. When my blood glucose levels were fluctuating up and down all day, that is when the dreams started.
The only other thing that could be the cause is too much insulin in the blood. Before diagnosis I had hyperinsulinaemia. The worse my health was getting, the more dreams I had.

Hope this helps.

 

[Liam8668]

Hi, I don't have diabetes, but before diagnosis and when I'm ill, I get full Technicolor story vivid dreams. And they can be very disturbing and disruptive to your sleep patterns. I'm not too good in the morning after one.
If I'm in control of being in normal levels, I don't get them mostly.
I have been recently because of circumstances, too high, so I had a week of vivid dreams which really didn't help.
Once I realised I needed to get help, and sorted my dietary intake, things have improved.
What I believe is happening is that in REM sleep your brain is trying to tell you to get your blood glucose levels back down into normal levels or telling you to get more glucose. When my blood glucose levels were fluctuating up and down all day, that is when the dreams started.
The only other thing that could be the cause is too much insulin in the blood. Before diagnosis I had hyperinsulinaemia. The worse my health was getting, the more dreams I had.

Hope this helps.

Thanks that’s really helped. Definitely going to mention it at my review in a couple of weeks. They are so vivid and not nice which leads to a very tired and grumpy me in the morning.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

I don't really dream. Or don't remember them..

But when I do. They would put David Cronenberg's nose out of joint..
Waking on a low or just prior..

 

[Lamont D]

Thanks that’s really helped. Definitely going to mention it at my review in a couple of weeks. They are so vivid and not nice which leads to a very tired and grumpy me in the morning.

I once had to see a doctor because I was feeling awful before diagnosis, he was a locum and obviously just filling in, so no history, anyway, I asked him, about my dreams and his answer was lose weight!
I told him I had been eating healthy foods for years but I didn't know then that the advice was wrong for me. He replied, eat less!
I was stunned.

So, be prepared for a dismissive answer.

Keep safe

 

[Jaylee]

I once had to see a doctor because I was feeling awful before diagnosis, he was a locum and obviously just filling in, so no history, anyway, I asked him, about my dreams and his answer was lose weight!
I told him I had been eating healthy foods for years but I didn't know then that the advice was wrong for me. He replied, eat less!
I was stunned.

So, be prepared for a dismissive answer.

Keep safe

It's not the sort of "thing" I would mention to an HCP.. My thoughts are what would they do, get some dream catchers out & light joss sticks??

Now, I'm familiar with lows in the waking hours. That whole "REM" thing for me is like the brain "defragging" the thought processes from day before.. Only set in some monstrosity of a labyrinth construction or an interstellar craft that serves no practical purpose other than "no escape." Apart from also being a "backdrop" for some hideous beings with questionable intent..
It's a trigger that has stood me in good stead years before the advent of CGMs. (Even as a kid.) Find the ugly sucker, face it. Wake up & treat the hypo..

... I don't even need to "kill it."

 

[Lamont D]

I learnt my lesson that day.
I do face the ugly sucker, but most of the time, I am on the end of a good thrashing and I have ended on the floor at the other side of the bedroom. I have received some fine bruising and aches and pains for my battle with the baddies!

 

[KK123]

Hi. Does anybody suffer with really vivid and quite upsetting dreams with diabetes. I have been struggling the last couple of months with awful dreams, I went online (dr google I know I shouldn’t) and it says diabetes can sometimes affect your dreams.
Due my diabetic review in 2 weeks but wanted to ask you lovely people

Yes! Now and again I do have really vivid dreams and every time I wake up I check my glucose level and it's always on the low side, as in the 3s. Don't know if it's connected but have you tested your levels when you wake up?, (may apply to high levels too I guess). x

 

[KennyA]

Hi, I was about to start a thread and then saw this. Good to know I'm not the only one. I have had a couple of experiences of terrible nightmares, sweats etc: my wife says I'm screaming and shouting. BG levels are nicely in the normal range for nearly a year now thanks to LCHF, but something happens overnight. I don't know if it's low BG or aggravated dawn effect, as I've never managed to test at the time these nightmares are happening. Had an episode two nights ago - I had a post meal BG of 5.5 at 9pm the evening before, and without eating anything at all inbetween I was getting 6.2 at noon the next day (I know I should have taken an earlier reading, but was too knackered to think of it). I guess if it's a low I can do something about that, but if it's a high, what then? I also have apnoea and use a CPAP every night - might be relevant?