bad night's sleep? how sleep impacts blood sugar in patients with diabetes

in this article:

• Sleep and unstable blood sugar levels
• Poor sleep, hormones and blood sugar
• Managing blood sugar and sleep 

Did you know that diabetes can impact sleep? Or that poor sleep can affect blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes? Understanding the links between diabetes and sleep is one way you can support your child and help them feel their best!

sleep and unstable blood sugar levels

Children with blood sugar levels that are too high or too low may have a hard time sleeping through the night. Unstable blood sugar levels trigger other changes in the body that can cause your child to wake up.

If blood sugars are low, the body releases adrenaline. This causes an increased heart rate, sweating and possibly panic. These symptoms will usually awake the child from their sleep.

Sometimes, children will wake up because of a nightmare, but are actually hypoglycemic (have low blood sugar). In these cases, treat their low blood sugar. Make sure it climbs above 100mg/dl before your child goes back to bed.

If a child’s blood sugar is too high, they may wake up more often saying they’re thirsty or need to go to the bathroom. For some children, this change in nighttime routine is an early symptom that leads to an initial diabetes diagnosis.

poor sleep, hormones and blood sugar 

Poor sleep, like less than six hours, has been linked to higher blood sugar levels the next day in patients with diabetes. This can lead to low energy, less activity and maybe more snacking.

When we don’t sleep well, our hormone levels change. Poor sleep can cause:

• A rise in cortisol, the stress hormone, which can impact insulin and insulin resistance
• Feeling hungrier than normal
• A rise in ghrelin, the “hunger hormone” which makes us hungrier
• Lower levels of leptin, a hormone that makes us feel full

All these changes may cause children to eat more after a bad night of sleep. That can lead to higher blood sugar.

managing blood sugar and sleep

How can you manage blood sugar changes the day after a bad night of sleep? It all comes down to close monitoring and planning.

close monitoring to keep balanced sugars

Keep an eye on blood sugars with frequent finger pokes or with a continuous blood glucose sensor.

This close monitoring can help you catch any spikes or lows, and quickly treat them to keep your child’s levels balanced. With balanced blood sugar levels, sleep should be no problem!

stay active

It’s also important to stay active! Exercise can help lower blood sugars and increase energy, even after a bad night of sleep. If your child is feeling tired, suggest they be active rather than take a nap. Napping may affect your child’s sleep schedule and make maintaining their blood sugar levels harder.

eat mindfully

We’ve talked about how poor sleep can impact hunger. So, sticking to a specific diet plan can help manage your child’s blood sugar levels. Encourage your child to eat healthy foods from all food groups. Help them avoid unhealthy snacking or overeating that can cause blood sugar spikes.

If your child still has a hard time sleeping and keeping their blood sugar levels in check, it is time to visit their pediatrician/primary care provider or endocrinologist. These experts can help you learn more ways to manage your child’s diabetes and keep them happy and healthy!