There’s a 37-year-old man — let’s call him Dane — who spends his evenings wide awake long after the day should be over. His shift starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends around 4:30, and when he gets home, he cooks his own dinner and takes his time eating it. Apart from the early start, he’s in no rush. His evenings move at his own pace. Once the dishes are done, he catches up with friends, plays a video game he’s been meaning to finish, or cracks open a good book. Before he knows it, it’s past one in the morning — and even then, sleep doesn’t come easy. It takes him another hour to finally drift off.
Rinse and repeat, every single day.
There is one side-effect to all of this: he is a pre-diabetic.
During his last doctor visit, he was informed that his blood sugar was abnormally high and that if he didn’t change some of his sleeping habits, he’d likely deal with diabetes in the near future. This, he decided, was the time to change things for the better.
November is American Diabetes Month, which makes it a good time to talk about the disease. Most people know about risk factors for someone with type 2 diabetes – family history, extra weight, not moving enough. But research over the last few years shows there are factors driving people towards a diabetic lifestyle. Nearly 38.4 million Americans are already living with diabetes, and almost 1 in 5 don’t know it. American Diabetes Association+3American Diabetes Association+3CDC+3
However, when it comes to the importance of sleep, it can have a couple effects on you.
First, diabetes can lead to sleep disruptions. Second, poor sleep increases the likelihood of developing diabetes. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10693913/ The fact that it goes both ways makes it all the more daunting, but knowing this alone can make a big difference in how you change your lifestyle.
Let’s go back to Dane. His lack of sleep every night, around 4 hours a night, is less than the recommended amount, which is 7-8 depending on your age. While he is getting the best out of his time awake, it’s coming at a cost.
If your sleep is choppy or if you’re living with sleep apnea, make sure to check in with your primary care physician about these because you might not know you are living as a diabetic. Did you also know that lack of sleep can make your body more resistant to insulin (the hormone that moves sugar out of your blood)? Several studies now call poor sleep a “novel” diabetes risk. If someone snores loudly, wakes up gasping, or is tired all day, a sleep study can be as important as a diet change. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10693913/
This month, don’t only ask, “Do I eat too much sugar?” Ask: Do I sleep 7–8 hours most nights? Do I snore? Do I work overnights? Those answers tell your doctor a lot. Pair that with an A1C or fasting glucose test and you can catch problems early — and prediabetes can be reversed. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10693913/
During American Diabetes Month, schedule a blood sugar check and talk to us about your sleep and your work schedule — not just your diet.
