Health Tips

Sleep disorders hit about 36% of the American population. Grogginess isn’t the only side effect of not getting a good night’s rest ~ lack of sleep puts some people at risk for developing diabetes. This can start a vicious circle whereby people with diabetes have a harder time getting a good night’s sleep. Many doctors recommend natural ways, such as changing one’s sleeping environment and changing bad habits, to get over sleep disorders. When diabetics use these techniques, they often find that they can sleep better and even reduce their diabetes.

Diabetes and sleep disturbances go hand in hand, according to studies by National Institute of Mental Health and American Diabetes Association. Basically, since diabetes changes how your body processes insulin, people with diabetes have metabolisms that aren’t well balanced. (To back up, insulin is a hormone that converts starch and sugar into energy.) Awakening un-refreshed from a night’s sleep tends to trigger the body to miscalculate how much insulin should be produced. Also, when the body’s glucose (sugar) levels are off, the body tends to not respond well to sleep and quality is compromised.

It doesn’t matter as much how much sleep you get if the quality of the sleep is affected. Generally, if you wake up feeling refreshed, then you’ve had a good night’s rest. Amazingly, an average night’s sleep involves waking up about 12 to 15 times without the person even being aware of doing so, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Many diabetics find that when they awaken during the night, they have a tough time getting back to sleep. Other causes that often affect a diabetics’ sleep are feelings of hunger (hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels), headaches (related to high blood glucose), night sweats, and frequent urination.

Poor sleep habits can trigger Type II Diabetes. If a person is predisposed genetically to diabetes after exposure to outside factors like depression or inactivity, waking up early un-rested or having difficulty falling asleep can trigger the onset of diabetes. In time, many Type II diabetics find that they recover better sleeping habits and even eliminate their diabetes.

Many diabetics find relief from a restless night by using some of the below natural methods:

~ Avoid stimulants before bed like foods with caffeine or alcohol. Smoking also can keep you awake. Rather than helping you fall asleep, many people build a tolerance to sleeping pills and other prescriptions.

~ Let your body relax before bed. Take a shower. Use a 10 to 20 minute “worry time” to release tension and then resolve not to revisit those worries until the next morning.

~ Get rid of bright lights and distractions. Turn off the TV and lights prior to getting into bed to signal sleep time.

~ Move for at least 30 minutes every day. Exercise helps you maintain a health weight and triggers your body to recognize when to rest.

~ Use your bed just for sleeping. Make your bed during the day to signal time to wake up. And, don’t read or eat in bed.

~ Use herbal supplements to fight insomnia rather than prescription drugs.

Diabetics should strive for a good night’s sleep rather than sleeping a set number of hours each night. Many sleep disorders can be overcome when a person adjusts his environment and practice good sleep habits. Once this is achieved, many diabetics find that their insulin levels go down dramatically or even go back to normal.