If you thought that the only components of a healthy lifestyle were eating right and exercising, you may be surprised to learn that sleep is equally essential. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Insufficient sleep is associated with the onset of diseases and also poses important implications for their management and outcome.…sleep is not a luxury –it is a necessity- and should be thought of as vital to good health.”
When it comes to preventing and managing diabetes, sleep is crucial to controlling the symptoms of the disease. In 2008, researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center observed the effects of deep sleep on blood glucose levels. After just three nights with minimal amounts of deep sleep, young, healthy subjects experienced decreased sensitivity to insulin. This effect was quite significant – equating to a level of glucose intolerance experienced by someone who has gained 20 or 30 pounds.
In the past, researchers have demonstrated that a lack of sleep impairs glucose metabolism and appetite regulation, also contributing to the risk of type 2 diabetes. The 2008 study, however, emphasizes how equally imperative quality of sleep is to your health.
You can rest assured that for most of your life, the body does have mechanisms in place to make sure you achieve deep sleep. Scientists found that over the three-day span, it became increasingly difficult to inhibit the sleep quality of the young subjects as each night passed. The simulated interruptions had to increase to over 300 during the last night to disturb the subjects. This simulation was comparable to the loss of quality sleep experienced by individuals aged 60 years or older. As with many facts of life, your quality of sleep is reduced as a side-effect of aging. This puts older age groups at an increased risk for not only diabetes, but obesity and other metabolic disorders.
So, how can you ensure quality sleep at any age? Following these tips from the National Sleep Foundation can help ensure you get the most out of your pillow time.
- Maintain a regular bed and awake time schedule including weekends.
- Establish as regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.
- Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool.
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.
- Use your bedrooms for only sleep and sex.
- Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime.
- Exercise regularly. It is best to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine close to bedtime. It can keep you awake.
- Avoid nicotine. Used close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep.
- Avoid alcohol close to bedtime – it disturbs the sleep cycle.
Hormone Imbalance
Poor sleep can be attributed to hormone imbalances just as much as environmental factors. Many of the hormones that deplete with aging can be attributed to poor sleep. Hormone therapy can often be the solution. BodyLogicMD affiliated physician, Dr. Michael Lee of Miami, who specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy says, “When out-of-sync hormones, like progesterone, are corrected, sleep is one of the major improvement patients notice and the difference in their quality of life is significant.”
Researchers conclude sleep is crucial to managing diabetes
If you suffer from chronic sleep problems, speak to your health care provider. Insomnia and other conditions associated with chronic sleep disturbance can have a serious impact on your health. As little as one night of reduced sleep can increase insulin resistance in diabetic patients. A 2011 study published in Diabetes Care, found that people with diabetes who had trouble sleeping had significant issues controlling their blood glucose levels. During the study, researchers discovered that poor sleep raises insulin resistance in diabetics by 82 percent. One researcher stated, “This [study] suggests that improving sleep quality in diabetics would have a similar beneficial effect as the most commonly-used diabetic drugs.”
Comments