Can better sleep help with diabetes?

How does sleep affect diabetes?

Health experts recommend that people with diabetes closely monitor their diet, stay physically active, and take their treatment as prescribed. However, one crucial aspect that's often overlooked is getting a good night’s sleep.

Debbie Grayson, Pharmacist and Nutritional Therapist, Practice With Confidence, Greater Manchester, UK says that while prioritising medicine, nutrition, and exercise is crucial, research increasingly shows that sleep significantly impacts diabetes management.

"Sleep is a complex, regulated process affecting nearly every system in your body - including glucose processing," Grayson explains. "In people with diabetes, disrupted sleep can worsen insulin resistance and elevate your blood sugar levels."

How does diabetes affect sleep?

Fluctuating glucose levels, especially those associated with diabetes - such as hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia - can affect the quality of your sleep.

Grayson explains that this creates a cycle of poor sleep, which worsens glycaemic control, and poor control can disrupt your sleep.

She says: "Insufficient sleep increases your chance of developing type 2 diabetes, and makes it harder to manage for those already diagnosed."

Grayson explains that both REM and NREM sleep play a vital role in regulating essential hormones.

She warns that disruptions to your sleep can affect your cortisol and growth hormones, which are both crucial for glucose metabolism.

"Even short-term sleep deprivation impairs your body’s insulin response," she says. "Studies show that just one night of poor sleep can reduce insulin sensitivity by 20-25%. Over time, this makes stable blood glucose harder to maintain."

Grayson adds that several sleep disorders are more common in people with diabetes, and may have a negative effect on your blood sugar control.

Grayson says that sleep deprivation can also affect core processes involved in diabetes care.

These effects include:

• Appetite dysregulation - poor sleep affects ghrelin and leptin, increasing hunger and cravings for high-carb foods which may lead to weight gain.

• Higher blood pressure - commonly coexisting with diabetes, hypertension is exacerbated by inadequate sleep.

• Worsened insulin sensitivity - long-term sleep loss makes glucose harder to manage even with medicine.

How to sleep better with diabetes

As we’ve seen, improving your sleep hygiene can have a significant impact on managing your diabetes. Prioritising quality sleep supports better blood sugar control and overall health, making it an important part of your diabetes care routine.

Grayson offers practical tips to help you not only fall asleep more easily but also stay asleep throughout the night.

Grayson advises seeking help from a healthcare professional if your sleep problems persist. They can recommend the right course of action and provide the tools or treatments you need to better manage your health.

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