Insomnia

Hi all, just joined the forum and wondered if anyone can tell me if diabetes can cause sleeping problems.

I have been diabetic for a few years now and suffer very much from being very tired day and night but unable to sleep, most of the time sitting in front of the TV or reading on the internet till about 4-5am just waiting to feel tired enough to be able to go to sleep. I can't sleep at all during the day or even early evenings even though I feel very tired to the point that I can't keep my eyes open.

Can this have anything to do with being diabetic?

ED

noblehead said:

Some people with diabetes can suffer from a condition called Sleep Apnea (Google to find out more).

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Hi, thanks for your prompt reply.

Sleep Apnea is a breathing disorder when sleeping, my problem is that I just can't sleep although I am very tired and find it very hard to keep my eyes open.

Fraddycat said:

Hi Ed, welcome to the forum. I think there can be several causes for insomnia such as diet, medication, depression, caffeine but it seems to me that many of these things we can do something about.

What is your diet like? If you can remove some of the carbohydrates from your diet you may find the sleepy feelings reduce. I used to want a big nap after lunch when I was eating sandwiches or wraps but now I have salad with meat or cheese (today its avocado) I feel fine afterwards. The reason is that carbs such as bread, especially white bread are turned very quickly into sugar by your body and that makes you sleepy - don't know why actually - but it does.

So if I was you I think I would reduce carbs at least in my evening meal, stop drinking things like coffee, tea, diet coke after about 7pm. Switch off TV and computer at a particular time that you think should be bedtime, have a bath maybe, use a lavender spray on your pillow (bodyshop) and go to bed in a darkened room (don't watch TV or read in bed because that can be stimulating).

Try to stay in bed, don't get up and start watching TV/surfing the internet - if I start to do that I am awake for a couple of hours.

It sounds like you have got into this late night habit, so you have to make some changes to break it, and stick with it for quite a few days, habits are hard to break.

Good luck, Jane

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Hi Jane, thank you for your quick reply and suggestions.

I eat about 100-150 carbs a day which I don't think is a lot, not enough to make me feel like having a nap anyway. I have seen people who eat a large meal and fall asleep afterwards but I was never a big eater and never fell asleep or felt tired after meals even before being diagnosed a diabetic when I was eating bigger meals and carbs at around 300 daily.

I only drink decaf tea and no alcohol wahatsoever. I drink Turkish coffee a couple times a day but never after about 5/6pm.

After diagnoses I started eating some carbs about 10pm which helped with keeping my morning BGs down, between 5 and 6 but 7+ if I didn't eat anything.

The thing I don't understand is that if carbs are what makes me so tired then should I not be able to sleep more Instead of suffering from insomnia?

Is it possible that carbs have a different effect on me as far as insomnia is concerned that is keeping me tired but awake instead of acting like some sort of a sleeping aid that some people seem to suffer?

I did try turning the TV off and not reading for about a week but that didn't work either. I twisted and turned around in bed till about 6/7 am till I finally went to sleep. Actually this made even worse in my case because I was sleeping till about 12-1 midday and couldn't sleep all night that night because of it.

I do take some other medication for other illnesses I have but I am assured by my GP that none of them are the cause for my sleeping problems.

Depression maybe, will have to speak to my GP about it.

ED