How can my type 2 diabetes affect my sleep?

There are many things that can affect your sleep. Specifically, for those with type 2 diabetes who could struggle with:

Night time urination – when blood glucose levels are high, the kidneys overcompensate by causing frequent urination
Sleep apnoea – more commonly found in people with type 2 diabetes mainly because people in this group often carry excess weight which can restrict their air passages
Increased thirst and headaches – when your body has excess glucose, it draws water from the tissues which can make you feel dehydrated
Diabetes distress – diabetes distress is an emotional state where people experience feelings such as stress, guilt or denial that can arise from living with diabetes and the burden of self-management which can keep you awake with worry
Complications of diabetes – sometimes pain and discomfort can keep you awake, and this can relate to peripheral neuropathy, or periodontal disease
Medication side effects – the side effects could cause an increase in urination or muscle cramps

If you are experiencing issues with sleeping and are concerned, please speak to your diabetes healthcare team or GP.

You can find our tips on how to get a better sleep here

https://mysugarwatch.je/how-to-sleep-better/

References:

Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, Alessi C, Bruni O, Don Carlos L, Hazen N, Herman J, Katz ES, Kheirandish-Gozal L, Neubauer DN, O’Donnell AE, Ohayon M, Peever J, Rawding R, Sachdeva R, Setters B, Vitiello MV, Ware C and Adams Hillard P (2015) ‘National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary’, Sleep Health, 1 (1), pp. 40-43

Khandelwal D, Dutta D, Chittawar S and Kalra S (2017) ‘Sleep disorders in type 2 diabetes’, Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 21(5), pp. 758-761.

Kuo Cp, Lu SH, Huang CN, Liao WC and Lee MC (2021) ‘Sleep quality and associated factors in adults with type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study’, International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(6).