include stress; busy schedules; uncom-
fortable, noisy and undark environ-
ments; chronic health problems; and
a cultural belief that work is the most
important thing in life.
Most Americans do not value sleep.
We think time spent sleeping is time
wasted, but according to the American
Sleep Association, our bodies need
sleep time to heal. During sleep, our
immune systems get to work repair-
ing damage and cleaning up cellular
messes in our organs.
Scientists have found that nervous
systems mend and memories are
formed during dream time. Other
organs and blood vessels heal during
deep sleep. Experimental rats deprived
of all sleep developed sores on their
tails and feet and died within three
weeks because their immune systems
stopped working. Sleep is a valuable
gift, without which we cannot stay well.How diabetes interferes
with sleep
Diabetes-related factors can make sleep
more difficult. High blood sugars may
lead to increased need to urinate at
night. For those on insulin or sulfo-
nylurea drugs, nighttime low blood
sugars can wake them up or make
sleep unrestful. Medications such as
antidepressants and blood pressure
medications can keep users awake.
People with diabetes have higher
rates of restless legs syndrome (RLS),
a sleep disorder characterized by
unpleasant creeping, crawling, tin-
gling or painful sensations in the legs
during rest. Scientists at an Italian
hospital found that 17.7% of patients
they admitted with diabetes had RLS,
compared to 5.5% of patients with
other conditions. RLS can also inter-
fere with bed partners’ sleep if legs
jump too much.
People with diabetes have higher
rates of depression, anxiety and pain,
all of which can interfere with sleep.
According to James Borders, MD, and
Laura Hieronymus CDE, about 50% of
older adults with diabetes have pain-
ful neuropathy in their feet or legs.
Such pain often keeps people awake.
A worldwide survey of people with
diabetes by scientists at The Open
University in the UK found about 10%
diagnosed with major depression. Many
more had milder forms that also cause
sleep disturbance.
People with diabetes have far more
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) than the
general population. Dr. Bharati Prasad
of the University of Illinois wrote that,
“The prevalence of OSA in people
with type 2 diabetes is variable, and
estimates range from 18% in primary
care to 58% in an older cohort, and as
high as 86% in obese populations with
type 2 diabetes.”
In OSA, breathing stops during
sleep for periods of 10 seconds or lon-
ger, until shortage of air wakes people
to gasp for air, then fall back asleep.
OSA patients may wake up hundreds
of times a night and not remember it.They may report that, “the more time
I spend asleep, the more tired I get.”
A study at the University of Toronto
found people with sleep apnea were
30% more likely to get diabetes.How to get more sleep
First, we have to accept that sleeping is
OK. It’s not being lazy; it’s something
our bodies need to heal. Then we need
to have lives that allow for sleep. If we’re
working two jobs and taking care of a
family, we can’t sleep much.
What we do in the daytime influ-
ences how we sleep at night. Sunshine
promotes sleep by causing the body
to produce melatonin, which helps
with nighttime sleep. Use a sunlamp
if there’s no sun where you live. Get
some physical movement, so your body
will be tired when it’s time to sleep. Try
to see some people every day, because
loneliness adds to depression and anxi-
ety, which can keep you awake.
Set up your environment for sleep
— have a comfortable bed, a dark room
and quiet. A more comfortable pillow
or mattress may make a big difference
in your quality of sleep.
If there is too much noise in your
environment and earplugs don’t work
for you, a white noise generator or app
with headphones might help. If there’s
too much light and no way to keep it
out, eyeshades or a mask might work.
Keep your bedroom at a comfortable
temperature. If your environment
allows, leave a door and a window a
bit open to allow air flow and keep air
from getting stale.
Get checked for medical problems
that might wake you up. For example,
there are good treatment options for
OSA, and you can be checked for that.
A number of medicines can treat neu-
ropathy pain; depression and anxiety
can improve with therapy; a doctor or
pharmacist can tell you if your medi-
cines might cause insomnia. You might
ask about proven sleep supplements
such as valerian and magnesium.Sleep strategies
Because we don’t value sleep, most
of us don’t prepare for it. Then we’re
surprised when we wind up tossing
and turning for hours. If you can go
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