Sleeping Well Through The Night

Diseases & Conditions Diabetes
1
I was wondering how diabetes or blood glucose leves affect sleep. I wake up nearly every night around 3:00 p.m. Sometimes I can get back to sleep, sometimes it takes a couple of hours. Some nights I do not sleep soundly and awaken several times. Is this usual for diabetics? Any advice?
2
Dear JGriffin,

I had a similar experience for a few days. I initially tried doing some light stretching and push-ups to wear myself down a bit before sleep. Of course, it worked for me without causing any hypo's but it may not remain true in your case.

In addition, do you remember being in any form physical discomfort when you wake up? Try checking your BS immediately after you wake up. One night, as soon as I woke up, I checked my BS, which was 5.2. Thence, I was psychologically releived and have had no such problems.

Regards,

AM_BD
3

Hi JGriffin,

I hardly ever get a good night's sleep!  I wake up in the early hours and feel quite 'muzzy' so need to do a blood test.  It's usually okay and the weird feeling is because I've just woken from a deep sleep, but it's hard to tell when I'm in that state!  I think I get quite anxious about having a hypo while I sleep, so it's always there at the back of my mind.  Do you find it's your actual sugar levels or the worry of what they might be that keeps you awake?

Claire x

4

Hi JGriffin,

Diabetics are prone to sleep apnea and in fact sleep apnea can actually cause diabetes.  Now this may not be what you have, but seeing a doctor and asking him about your condition and possibly conducting a sleep exam could let you know what's going on in short order, or at the very least rule out something serious.

This brings up a very interesting point about sleep deprivation, but I'll post this in a new thread.

scool Warren

5
Okay, maybe this forum is mentally good for me! Last night I only awakened once and went right back to sleep. I called my nuritionist/educator this morning. Her take on it was the 3:00 p.m. time - she said that my blood sugars start to rise around then to get me ready for the morning. She feels that the phenomenon will subside after we stabilize my BG. She may have something there because I awoke this morning with a BG reading of 94 the only time it has been below 120 in the morning in three months. Warren, I did not know that about sleep apnea. I look forward to your post on the subject. Thanks for eveyone's input.
6
ooooo!!! I didn't realize the "dawn effect" could actually wake you up! Thats a really interesting piece of info. Thanks.

scool Warren
7
3:00 pm? (Jeannie is nit picking again tongue ) Do you mean three o'clock in the morning? (LOL!) I sure hope sleep disturbances aren't linked to diabetes! Every menopausal woman and fibromyalgiac in the world is in for a ton of misery! (LOL!!) I'm both!

~ Jeannie

"As one goes through life one learns if you don't paddle your own canoe you don't move."
-Katherine Hepburn

"Madness takes its toll.
Please have exact change."

8
LOL.....I guess the lack of sleep is messing with my mind. Of course, Jeannie, I mean 3:00 a.m. Things get weird enough with this newfound (in my case) disease without confusing everyone else too. Sorry.