The Hidden Link Between Diabetes and Sleep Disorders: What You Need to Know

November is National Diabetes Month across the country, so this month, we’re going to reveal the hidden link between diabetes and sleep disorders. While diabetes is known for its wide-ranging effects on your health, sleep disorders tend to fly under the radar. 

The Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Group, LLC, team in Monroe, New Jersey, specializes in sleep disorders, so we understand that the bidirectional influences of diabetes and sleep problems are shared. Here’s what you need to know. 

An interactive cycle

Having diabetes affects your sleep in several ways, while having sleep disorders can contribute to the causes of type 2 diabetes. The hidden link is that having either condition can worsen both. 

The effects of diabetes on sleep

Diabetes can disturb your normal circadian sleep cycle through effects like: 

Neuropathic pain

Diabetic neuropathy can cause sharp, stabbing pain that’s severe enough to keep you from achieving restful sleep. It may be difficult to fall asleep or fall back asleep when these sensations become moderate to severe. 

Nighttime urination

High blood glucose levels increase your thirst and urination needs, which continue through the night, so the need to use the bathroom can wake you up several times during sleep. 

Fluctuating blood sugar levels

Changes in blood sugar levels can cause sleep disturbances, including low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Symptoms like dizziness, shaking, and sweating can cause you to wake. 

Restless leg syndrome

A person with diabetes is more likely to develop restless leg syndrome, a condition marked by the strong urge to move their legs when they’re tired at night. The sensation can make it difficult to fall asleep. Diabetics may also be more prone to leg cramps at night. 

Sleep disorders and diabetes

Sleep disorders contribute to or worsen diabetes. Some of these connections are: 

Impaired blood sugar control

Interruptions caused by obstructive sleep apnea can make it harder to control your blood sugar levels by increasing insulin resistance and stress hormones like cortisol, and others that make it harder to manage your weight. 

Risk of complications

Your risk of diabetes complications like diabetic retinopathy, kidney damage, and blood vessel deterioration increases when you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. 

Cognitive impairment

Poor sleep can lead to daytime sleepiness, an inability to concentrate or focus, and slow motor responses, which can make it hazardous to operate heavy equipment. The effects of diabetes on blood vessels in the brain can worsen these cognitive conditions. 

The key to controlling the effects of diabetes starts with you having tight control of your blood sugar. Contact Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Group, LLC to address sleep disturbances. Call or click to book an appointment with us today.