7 Tips to Help Us Fall Asleep

Getting a good night’s sleep can be quite challenging if we have diabetes. To know what exactly is disturbing our sleep, we should check with our doctor. They will help us pinpoint the main cause of our sleeping problems. According to an endocrinologist, Dr. Paris Roach, with the Indiana University of Health in Indianapolis, it is crucial for everyone that they maintain a healthy weight and get a good night’s sleep. There can be a couple of reasons that may affect our quality of sleep. The first major cause is increased blood sugar. At times, the blood sugar levels may spike in the middle of the night, which might be the reason why we are waking up so abruptly. Furthermore, such high blood sugar levels could cause frequent urination. As a result, people tend to wake up at night. That is why we recommend trying these tips for better sleep.

7 Tips to Help People Fall Asleep

Aside from high blood sugar, low blood sugar can affect the quality of sleep as well. In fact, it can cause excessive sweating, restless sleep, and a fast-pounding heart.

1. Check to See If It's Sleep Apnea

One sleep disorder that is commonly associated with type 2 diabetes is sleep apnea, says a sleep medicine specialist, Kingman Strohl, at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The excess weight in the neck and overall body can lead to sleep apnea. This condition makes our breathing start and stop repeatedly while we sleep. If we believe we might have this condition, we should ask our doctor to do a sleep test. Sleep apnea can be treated with some lifestyle changes and breathing devices. Quitting smoking and improving our shape can also help us keep this condition in check.

2. Control Blood Sugar Levels

According to Joy Bierman, a spokesperson for the American Association of Diabetes Educators, having extremely high or low levels of blood sugar, can wake us up in the middle of the night. The best way to get some quality sleep is to manage our metabolic condition. In this case, we should keep the blood glucose levels in check. This way, we might get a good night’s sleep. If we want to manage our blood glucose levels properly, we should have a personal activity, treatment, and meal plan. This way, the medications we take won’t affect our blood sugar levels negatively.

3. Create a Sleeping Routine and Stick to It

Try to have a regular daily routine. Having a consistent sleeping schedule can help the body create an internal clock that might help it fall asleep easier. Setting this schedule can help the body wake up more easily.

4. Avoid Drinking Alcohol Before Going to Bed

Alcohol can have a huge effect on blood sugar levels. As a result, we highly suggest avoiding drinking right before going to bed. When we drink, the liver starts to slow down the release of glucose in order to cleanse the bloodstream from the alcohol. This can take up to two hours. In other words, the body will try to metabolize the alcohol we’ve drank. In the end, it can cause frequent urination.

5. Exercise During the Day

It is important to keep the body active and to move, especially during the day. This way, we can spend all of our energy, and we will fall asleep easier. Even 10 minutes of aerobics per day can do the trick. What's more, it can help us get in shape.

6. Refine the Basal Rate

Whether we inject long-lasting insulin or an insulin pump, we have to make sure that the basal rate is accurate. Of course, there can be some days, like events and other unplanned activities that might affect the basal rate. But, it should be accurate most of the time.

7. Don’t Sleep With an Active Insulin

We should test our insulin a few hours before we go to bed, not immediately before bed. Plus, we should avoid eating carbohydrates since they need fast-acting insulin. This way, we might be able to fall asleep easier, and we won’t have to worry about the blood sugar levels dropping in the middle of the night.