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Diabetes and sleep problems often go hand-in-hand, but a lot of people don’t know it. The effects that blood glucose can have on your sleep – and vice versa – aren’t really discussed to the extent that they perhaps should be.
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Sleep apnea is one of the more common sleep-related issues associated with diabetes, characterised by the narrowing of the throat walls and the interruption of normal breathing. The resultant lack of oxygen forces the brain to wake up.
In most cases, sleep apnea is accompanied by loud snoring, often the kind that involves a lot of snorting and gasping. That’s right: just when you thought loud snoring couldn’t be any more desirable, it turns out it might also indicate a breathing issue that’s making you tired and lethargic.
People with sleep apnea rarely remember their interrupted breathing, or the brief period of wakefulness that follows it, so unless someone else notices the symptoms it’s a tricky one to catch.
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Then there’s the dawn phenomenon, in which the body’s release of certain hormones during sleep cause the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream. It’s best avoided by not eating any carbs before you go to bed, and adjusting insulin dosage, if you take insulin.
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The dawn phenomenon is often confused with the Somogyi phenomenon, the tricky-to-pronounce theory that the body responds to hypoglycemia during the night by raising blood glucose levels. It’s generally believed that stress hormones are to blame.
The Somogyi phenomenon is difficult to prevent. Blood glucose levels get too low in the night because of excessive insulin levels, but balancing it out is easier said than done.
The best way to avoid the Somogyi phenomenon is through intense blood glucose testing. Do it right, and you should be able to catch low blood sugar levels before any rebound occurs.
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So, how are you sleeping? Are your phenomenons in check, your apnea averted? Or would a good night’s sleep seem like a dream come true?
Do you have any tips for a better night’s sleep? Share them with the community on the forum.
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