• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Cant Sleep!

S

Starmaker123

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi folks, i was diagnosed type 1 nearly 6 months ago and since then, i find it hard to sleep. Physically, i feel great since starting in insulin, have bucket loads of energy - it almost feels like im on speed! But when bedtime comes, i feel wired and sleep does not come. I do suffer from anxiety and i realise this may b the cause. It has really taken its toll and even tho i feel tired and look pretty awful, im able to keep goin even on 2/3 hrs sleep. I cant help feeling that the insulin is giving me false energy and makes me feel wired. Has anyone else experienced this? My doc prescribed a sleeping tablet which i take when im desperate for a nights sleep, l have also had som counselling.The doc want me to take an anti-d but i really dont want to go down that route. My readings r gud but i do find im hyper vigilant as i do have a fear of hypo so i never let myself hypos. Can anyone relate to this pls?
 
I'm not on insulin, type 2 on Forxiga and follow lchf, now got loads of energy and feel great but lately waking around 4am unable to sleep again and feeling hot......was advised by a fellow type 2 forum friend yesterday it could be potassium deficiency so reading up on that and started a multi vitamin. It's a pain as I feel wide awake at that time but actually need sleep!
Hopefully someone on insulin will be along to help too.......
 
To u for the replies. I don't take statins. My levels r generally goodish before bed, 7/8/9 but I do find during the day if I go lower than 7, I feel a bit off so might b why I find it difficult to drop off at night? Are there any type 1 out there who struggled with sleep initially and overcame it cos I would love to hear how u did it! Tks
 
I think i can relate to this Starmaker, I was diagnosed T1D in May, and my sugars were elevated for so long prior that i would get symptoms of 'low blood sugar' whenever i went before 7, and for a while it bothered me until i got used to staying between 4 and 6.

The first think you need to do is make sure your basal rate is where it should be, that means over long periods (like 6 hours) of no insulin, no food, and no excercise you sugars don't drop more then 1.5 - mmol/L, once you have confirmed this, just be sure that when you go to bed all of your rapid acting has worn off!

Once you accomplish these two things there is pretty much no reason that your sugars will go low in the middle of the night, so be confident that you can sleep.

If, for some reason, you do go low you will wake up. Every single time my sugars have been below 4.5 i have had trouble sleeping, nightmares or headaches and have woken up. When you wake up, just check your sugars and eat if you have to!

You'll be fine! be confident that you know how to handle your levels and you shouldn't have any reason not to have a goodnights rest.
 
Hi diamattic, tks so much for ur reply, sounds like u have a good handle on it already! I still find it all a bit overwhelming at times i must say, lack of sleep being my biggest issue. I think my basal is ok, consultant reduced it to 5 lantus from 6 recently. I normally have tea around 6/630 and go to bed around 10/1030pm (up at 6am for work), i think it takes 4 hrs for rapid to wear off? So wld it b better to ensure my rapid has worn off before bed then? Wld this explain my alertness at bedtime? I take my lantus around 9pm, i used to take it at 10pm but got it into my head that it might b keeping me awake.
 
If you are really sensitive about it, then wait until its worn off about 4 hours later. going to bed with rapid acting insulin in your system isnt bad if you know how it will react. Sometimes when i check my BS before bed and find them higher then i want, i take my lantus and a unit or two of Novo rapid because i know if my sugars are 9 before bed and i dont take anything i will wake up and they will be between 7.5 and 9, which is a bit to high for me to spend 8 hours at, So i would take 1 unit to drop that 9 to a 6 and wake up around 5mmol/l, which is much better IMO.

I have never felt that insulin has ever given me energy so i cannot comment on that feeling :/ Perhaps that all in your head, or maybe you get a bit worried and get a small adrenaline rush haha

I have had nights where i couldnt remember if i took my Lantus, so i would wake up and take some and then spend all night worried i double dosed, THAT kept me from sleeping haha So far, i have not doubled up though lol

I usually take my lantus any time after 9pm, i don't pay to much attention to when, as long as its before bed.

I think you have a mix of anxiety, and false 'lows' because your used to higher sugars, try to keep them around 5-6 and that should go away when you adjust to it, and then you wont worry.
 
I dont take insulin without food, well thats what they tell me at my clinic and to b honest, i wld b afraid to. If i saw a reading of a 5 on my meter, i wld have a heart attack ha ha cos thats very close to 4 you know ha ha!! I know i need to gain more confidence in that area. I think my diabetes was coming on for a long time, i wasnt well for at least 2 yrs prior to insulin. Mayb it is in my head, i think im still coming to terms with it all and havent fully embraced my new lifestyle. Im 7.5 now and debating whether to have a snack before bed but mayb ill hold off and "sit" with it! Tks a mill for ur help.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…