Sleep habits can affect health – weight, immune system and even brain function – while it plays a key role in controlling blood sugar, meaning that sleep can affect the risk of developing diabetes.
How does blood sugar change during sleep?
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It has to do with whether the function of insulin, the hormone that removes glucose from the blood, is affected. Blood glucose levels rise sharply during sleep, usually between 4 and 8 a.m. for people who fall asleep at a normal sleep time (this is also called the “dawn effect”). In normal people, insulin handles the surge in blood glucose levels by promoting the uptake of glucose from the blood by muscle, fat, and liver cells, thus keeping blood glucose levels stable.
In people who have diabetes or are at risk for diabetes, insulin cannot process glucose properly, which can then lead to increased blood glucose levels.
Sleep habits and diabetes
While diet and obesity are the main causes of diabetes, studies have found that it may be because sleep habits affect the body’s cellular response to insulin over time.
In one study, more than 4,000 subjects reported the total number of hours of sleep they got each night. Those who slept less than 6 hours total were twice as likely to have cells that were less sensitive to insulin or to have diabetes. The results remained the same even after the researchers included other lifestyle habits in the study.
Other sleep disruptions and disturbances, such as sleep apnea, also appear to increase the risk of developing diabetes.
But the other extreme – sleeping more than 9 hours a night – also leads to a higher risk of developing the disease. The reason for this is not yet clear.
How does lack of sleep increase the risk of the disease?
How does sleep deprivation increase the risk?
The exact mechanism is unclear. Several studies have found that people who get less sleep (less than 6 hours of sleep per night) tend to have irregular eating habits, add more meals, and are more likely to consume unhealthy foods.
Other studies have found that changes in sleep duration can directly affect the body’s production of other hormones, which in turn affect blood sugar. For example, when you stay up late, your body produces more cortisol hormone, which can affect the functional effects of insulin.
In addition, there is growing evidence that night waking can disrupt the body’s biological clock (aka circadian rhythm) and can make cells more resistant to insulin. In one study, researchers altered the circadian rhythms of 16 healthy volunteers, allowing the volunteers to have only five hours of sleep per night for five nights, similar to a sleep-deprived workweek. When these volunteers ate at night (when the body was not biologically prepared for elevated blood glucose), the body was unable to use insulin properly.
What can be done?
To keep your blood sugar in balance, you should get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
- If you work nights or shifts: If possible, try to maintain a regular meal and sleep schedule, even on your days off. Try to do some exercise during breaks, such as short walks or stretching exercises
- If worried about blood sugar: Get a good night’s sleep regularly, which is extremely helpful in helping your body use insulin effectively. Get enough sleep, avoid late night eating, and try to get some exercise (like walking) after dinner
- If you have diabetes: If your blood sugar is usually high in the morning, consult your doctor. It may be necessary to get some blood glucose testing or use a continuous blood glucose meter to identify fluctuations in blood glucose, which will help decide the next step. Your doctor may make adjustments to the recommended diabetes medication or exercise regimen